Kalimba Magic NEWS

As Christmas approaches, I can't help but feel a longing for the kind of magical Christmas one hears tell of in books and films, but meanwhile we are surrounded by the showy hollowness of an "international festival of consumerism" (to quote our new Friday tipster Ian Clothier). My solution? Focus on how I can give and bring Christmas to life for others through music and Kalimba Magic. But that doesn’t always come easy...

"My first experience with kalimba was in 1974. My sister was a huge fan of Earth, Wind and Fire and I remember looking at one of her EWF albums that showed the leader Maurice White sitting with many kalimbas surrounding him. As I listened to the kalimba, I became completely fascinated with this instrument and at some point it became medicine to me." - Kevin Spears

One of my favorite Christmas carols is "Carol of the Bells." In addition to this YouTube video, I present here the tablature that can help you learn to play this song on your Alto, Treble, Bb Treble, or Chromatic kalimba. Enjoy these free tablature downloads!

Jesus was a Jew! When he was born, they didn't play "Away in a Manger." Rather, the music that was played in that Bethlehem neighborhood likely sounded more like Hava Nagila! This article shows you a very simple retuning of your Alto or Treble kalimba to this Middle Eastern scale, and provides free tablature downloads for a simplified version of this popular Hebrew song.

Aaron Chavez, probably the best chromatic kalimba player in the world at this moment, proposes to develop a 4 octave chromatic kalimba. He is working on bringing the kalimba into the classical repertoire, which really requires the chromatic kalimba and greater range. Also learn about the new Hugh Tracey C Treble Chromatic Kalimba!

We first got the 2B/14 Kalimbas last summer, and they sold out in less than a week. We got some more in a few months ago, and they have been dribbling out slowly. But before they went on sale, my son Tim went through the whole bunch and documented and refined their tunings, and I recorded what each tuning sounds like. Listen to these varied tunings and open yourself to the wonder and joy of the work of Thomas Bothe.

When I first started Kalimba Magic, I would periodically get requests for traditional African music on the kalimba. Well, at that time I didn't know any traditional African music on the kalimba. (Remember, the Hugh Tracey Kalimba is an invented instrument from 1954, with many features derived from many traditional African lamellaphones.) But now, using the Mbira Cycle, a generative system based on Andrew Tracey's research on a wide body of traditional mbira music, I hope anyone who so desires will be able to create their own mbira-like songs on Alto or Treble kalimbas.

This is a two part article: the kalimba part is about four ethnic tunings for the 8-Note kalimba that can take you around the world. You can listen to the tunings and even print out a short instructional guide for each tuning.
I hope you will also read how one concerned individual reached out to an ethnically diverse community with her doll project. The dolls were gifts for at risk children, and each doll was decked out in beautiful clothing, a little djembe drum, and... a kalimba in an ethnically authentic tuning!

A new quick and easy way to learn about music theory! Each of the 16 wheels in this set consists of an underlying wheel with all the note names in order, and an upper wheel which encapsulates the logic of a scale or a set of intervals present in chords. When the root arrow is pointing to "G", the wheel tells you how to play that scale or chord in the key of G. When you rotate the upper wheel so the root arrow points to a different note, it shows you the notes of the scale or chord in that key. Also works for transposing chord progressions.

Are you ready to step up to the next level in your kalimba playing? Is there a song you would love to learn on the kalimba but just can't seem to get it? Would you like to come together with other kalimbas players and make a joyful noise? We are having a kalimba and music workshop at Essence of Tranquility Hot Springs Spa! Come, relax in the hot springs, have a great time, and learn!

"What I Feel When I Play Kalimba Video Contest"
Contest deadline: Jan. 1, 2011
"Create Original Music Based on the Mbira Cycle Contest"
Contest deadline: March 1, 2011.