July 11, 2006
Shifting Up and Down the Kalimba

Make a simple melody with three of four notes on your kalimba. In the tablature below, the first measure (always start at the BOTTOM of the tablature) uses the first four notes of "Are You Sleeping" as an example. The notes go Left-Right-Left-Left.

In the second measure, I take that same pattern, and shift it OUT by one tine. So, you start one tine further left, then the right note is one tine further right. Shifting out by one tine results in a melody which is shifted by two notes higher in the scale. The third measure takes the same pattern but shifts it INWARD by two tines (ie, lower by four notes in the scale). Then, the last measure brings us back to the initial pattern.

Now, invent your own pattern and start shifting it IN and OUT (i.e., DOWN and UP). This is a VERY simple way to make complex-sounding music on your kalimba.

Next week, we'll learn about reflecting a phrase across to the other side.