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“yes!” is the verdict of Kalimbacam’s glowing YouTube review of the Hugh Tracey Alto Kalimba Top: Hugh Tracey Student Karimba on “TM” body. Right: Hugh Tracey Alto Kalimba. Bottom: Hugh Tracey African-tuned Karimba   For the last two years, people have been asking me in emails: “So, is the Hugh Tracey kalimba really worth it? I can get a 17-note kalimba made in China for much less.” Of my own personal kalimbas, 8 out of the 10 that I commonly use for performances are Hugh Tracey instruments. Obviously, it’s clear to me that if you are at the performance level, the Hugh Tracey kalimba is worth it. But I have

This is such an obvious song to perform on the kalimba! Click to download the 3-page tablature PDF with live link to the MP3 file   A large part of what makes the kalimba such a magical instrument is the nostalgia it creates when you play it. Not always, but often the kalimba will sound like a tiny little music box. You can play that up, by learning some of the famous songs from music boxes: “A Time For Us,” “Over the Rainbow,” or “Fur Elise.” And an obvious song to add to that list would be Frank Mills’ “Music Box Dancer” – which in my mind was a song

They help give you a more accurate tuning, and eliminate hand pain from tuning “by hand” Get Your Tiny Tuning Hammer Today!   Tuning your kalimba is a mixed bag. Unlike guitar, you don’t have to tune your kalimba every time you pick it up. In fact, most kalimbas will hold their tune for weeks or months. On the other hand, once your kalimba needs tuning, you may have no idea what to do. My own favored technique is to just move the tines around by hand – but I’ve done it a time or two, and my fingers are callused in all the right places for this work. It

Multi-mode music from my book “Exploring the Hokema B11 Kalimba” When you start playing your kalimba, on which note do you start? Most people think the low(est) note is where they should start – and they tend to play their kalimba in that key. However, you can play your kalimba emphasizing other notes, and not only do you play in a different “key” in each case, but you will also play with a different scale or mode… and each scale gives your kalimba playing a different flavor. If you have a B11 kalimba, watch this video of B11 multi-mode music. you can learn these “tricks” and understand how to play

This song is perfect for the Hugh Tracey Treble Kalimba Get both easy and advanced versions of “Silverbells” for the Hugh Tracey Treble Kalimba   The holiday classic “Silverbells” turns out to be the perfect song to showcase the Hugh Tracey Treble kalimba. Why, you might ask? Because the song “Silverbells” dips down to the 3rd of the scale, but no lower. In the opening line, “City sidewalks,” the word “walks” goes down to the 3rd. Also, the refrain “Silverbells” starts on the 3rd and goes up. It seems that “Silverbells” was made just for this kalimba! But even if you have a different kalimba, you will still be able

Because of the greatly superior overall kalimba experience that you’ll have with us Mark Holdaway and Mike Ankomeus of Kalimba Magic tune, paint, and set up the kalimbas you buy from us   Most kalimbas you buy online will arrive at your door in a relatively untuned state. Most kalimbas you buy online are packed by someone who has no idea of how to set up the instrument. At Kalimba Magic, Mark Holdaway or Mike Ankomeus tune every kalimba before it ships. We paint the relevant tines to help you read the tablature. We include a tuning chart and a “care and feeding” card directing you to the online resources

The Top Five Reasons Why A Box Lotus and a Regular Lotus Karimba   My idea of kalimba playing perfection is being able to know exactly where every tine is on my kalimba without looking. To be able to leap across from one side to the other, or to be able to jump large intervals from a low tine to a high tine… perfectly! To be able to play amazingly, quickly, accurately, and crisply, all by feel and memory. Ah, it’s a lovely dream. But after playing for 33 years, I still like to rely on visual cues to help me keep my place and find my way on the kalimba.

Let Me Count the Reasons The 15-Note Hugh Tracey Alto Kalimba has been made from African kiaat hardwood by African Musical Instruments in South Africa since 1954.   I have recently heard from several people who were trying to purchase an Alto kalimba, but their attempts were somehow foiled. Some ignorant sellers are marketing cheaper kalimbas, claiming them to be Hugh Tracey Alto kalimbas. One fellow who was trying to get a good deal had bought two different kalimbas that claimed to be Hugh Tracey Alto kalimbas… but neither of them were! He begged me: “How am I going to get an Alto kalimba?” Well, it isn’t that hard. I

This is the tuning Cornelius Duncan uses on his track on Poncho Sanchez’ Acclaimed CD “Trane’s Delight” One of the key features of most kalimbas: You will find the higher-octave note on the opposite side from where you find that same note an octave lower. For example, low C is on the right, and the C that’s an octave higher is on the left side of the kalimba. This layout (which is of alternating ascending notes) completely informs how the instrument is played and the resulting music.                                        But what if there were a tuning where a given note that is on the right side… stays on the right side in