11 September 2019
Instructional Resources for the B11 Kalimba
Tunings, Books, eBooks, and Kalimbas

The simple 9-Note Sansula, or Hokema B9, has been a spectacular, emotive instrument that people have loved for almost 20 years.
Now it's time to move up to the B11. While the Sansula is charming and beautiful, there are precious few songs you can play on it. The B11 has another name - the "Melody". That is because it lends itself to making melodies with simple accompaniment,
In other words, if you seem to be at a dead end with the Sansula, you might want to check out the B11, because there is so much more music you can do with it!
Exploring the Hokema B11 Kalimba (Book)
This 74 page book is full of instructional tips and tablature for 64 songs and exercises arranged just for the Hokema B11 Kalimba. The material starts out very easy, appropriate for a beginner, but progresses to provide challenges for better players - in other words, anyone can start on this book and there is room to grow!
Exploring the Hokema B11 Kalimba (eBook)
This download will set you up with a 15 MByte, 74 page PDF "book" with instructional tips and tablature for 64 songs arranged just for the Hokema B11 Kalimba. The material starts out very easy, appropriate for a beginner, but progresses to provide challenges for better players - in other words, anyone can start on this book and there is room to grow!
Playing The Four Winds B11 (eBook)
The "Four Winds" is an exotic tuning for the B11 kalimba. It can easily play four different scales, or modes, each with a different emotional feeling.
The Four Winds B11 download is an intermediate level, 58 page PDF, instructing via graphic kalimba tablature, words and advice, and with 55 MP3 files, all linked-to and easily clickable within the PDF. The music, in tablature, comes in 4-8 measure chunks which form bite-sized cycles that fit on one page. The cycles are repeated to create a song. Longer songs are built up by introducing variations into the cycles, or by switching to a complimentary cycle.
Playing The Wizard - Exotic Tuning for B11 (eBook)
I used to call the B11 Wizard tuning the "A minor Hitzaskiar" tuning. It is a Persian-sounding minor scale, similar to the harmonic minor, but with a raised 4th. But it seems so magical, like a wizard waving his or her wand over a little magical music box in a Harry Potter movie, that I had to change its name to the right one - the Wizard!
The new Wizard B11 ebook has a very gentle and measured approach, helping you to learn patterns and chords and encouraging you to create your own compositions from these bits and pieces.
HOKEMA B11 MELODY
Playing this instrument is like a burst of joy. It is a great personal instrument and travels well. For adults or older children.
The B11 "Melody" Kalimba, made by the same people who make the Sansula, is a much more capable instrument. It is in the key of G, which is generally useful, and has a range of G3 (G below middle C) to A5 (two octaves and a whole step above the lowest note). The two-octave range is important. The lower octave is sparsely populated, which makes this good for accompaniment. The upper octave has every note in the G major scale, plus one more note in the high A, which means there are a lot of melodies you can play on this instrument.
HOKEMA B11 ELEKTRO
SANSULA BASIC MELODY-11
Learn to play "The Wizard" Theme Song
Dajari-F B11 Tuning
Exotic B11 Tunings Overview
Cool Ethnic Tunings for the B11 Kalimba
- Tags: B11 Kalimba, B11 Sansula
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Karl Newmeyer
Karl
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