Dec. 15, 2011Vol. 6, Num. 6
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Kalimba MagicChristmas News
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In This Issue
I stood perfectly still to be non-threatening, but his angry look got darker and deeper: "YOU were looking at me like YOU thought I was a worthless piece of trash. I saw you! I am very intuitive, I pick up on people's vibes, I know what you were thinking about me, that I was a worthless piece of trash."
Kalimba Magic is happy to help you select the perfect kalimba or kalimba-related gift for almost anyone and everyone in your family. From our CDs and stories - great for children and people who don't play the kalimba - to kalimba instructional books or kalimba cases for someone who already has a kalimba - to beginner through advanced kalimbas for the musicians in your family or circle of friends - Kalimba Magic is THE PLACE TO GO for kalimbas, kalimba instructional materials and accessories!
Into my mind popped a single generative idea: instead of a kalimba, what if I held in my hands a music box, the kind that people used to have in their homes 50 years ago? There is a lot of nostalgia in those music boxes.
And... instead of playing just one beautiful song, this music box could somehow sense the heart of the person who was holding it and play that person's favorite Christmas carol.
And so, The Magical Music Box story was born.
And so, The Magical Music Box story was born.
Even though the standard tuning of the Sansula is enchanting and mystical, there are very few actual songs you can play in that tuning. About four years ago, several people around the world started inventing alternative tunings for the Sansula that would broaden its musical expressiveness. One of those tunings was the Heavenly A tuning, invented by Rick Tarquinio. It turns out that scores of songs can be played in this tuning, and this book presents 21 of them!
Do you remember when Aaron Chavez put out a call to the world for a four octave hand-held chromatic kalimba? That was just over a year ago, and it was a tall order. I didn't know if it was possible, but I had some ideas of how it could be done.
I was not prepared for the beauty, simplicity, and compactness of the instrument which Josh Humphrey of JBH Guitars produced.
This time it is Mark Holdaway, director of Kalimba Magic, who is getting interviewed
rather than being the one to ask the questions. Samantha Spencer interviewed me
for an ethnomusicological class she is taking, and after spending
about 45 minutes writing out my answers, I thought this might be
a good opportunity to share what I'm thinking these days with
the kalimba community....
Free tablature for four different kalimbas!
One of my favorite Christmas carols is Carol of the Bells. I present here the tablature that can help you learn to play this song on your the Alto, Bb, Treble and G Chromatic kalimba. Enjoy these free tablature downloads!
Free tablature Alto, Treble and G Chromatic kalimbas!
After Hugh Tracey had developed his masterpiece kalimba, how could he get people interested in it? How could he get people to take it - and him - seriously? The answer to that was, in part, "Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring", the beautiful piece by J.S. Bach that everybody loves to listen to. I have played this song at weddings, memorial services and Quaker Meeting for worship...
Sarah Plays Wade in the Water
Here's a video I made of Sarah playing "Wade in the Water," a song that I hadn't realized could be played on the 6-Note, but Sarah kept asking for this song, and then I realized we could make it work. You can also download from this article the numbers-based music for "Wade in the Water."
Rudolph, Frosty and Santa are all coming to town!
When I created my original Christmas Medley,, I was after a purely spiritual event. I was seeking the emotional truth of the story of Jesus' birth, the story of light shining forth into the darkness. Of course there was no room for Rudolph or Frosty or Santa.
But if you play Christmas gigs at the zoo or the botanical gardens, kids are always asking, "Do you know Rudolph? Do you know Frosty? Can you play Santa Claus is Coming to town?" It took me years to finally give in, but eventually I did.
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