Tuesday, January 29, 2008
Setting Up Your Kalimba
Fixing the Buzz - Method 2

The "paper method" for buzz fixing should be in every kalimba player's bag of tricks.

Cut a long, skinny piece of paper, about 1/16 inch wide. I find that the waxy paper backing from postal stickers works best. Lift the buzzing tine off the bridge with the fingers from one hand, and slide the paper between the bridge and tine with the other hand. Lower the tine to trap the paper, and tear off the extra paper. A 1 inch length of paper can be used several times before it is too short.

This method works great for the lower notes, but it may deaden an upper note. If so, try using a narrower sliver of paper, or try just inserting the paper halfway under the tine. I usually keep about 5 little pieces of paper inside my kalimba so that I can fix a buzz anywhere I go, i.e., on stage. You can even make a joke about it - "My kalimba just caught a buzz that I need to fix" - and then shake your kalimba until you see one of the papers through the large sound hole. Lick your thumb and reach in and stick it to the paper and then remove it from your kalimba body.

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