October 1, 2016

Blog
Mark Holdaway

The Karimba Song “Kakaiwa” – Free Tablature and MP3

A karimba song that echoes more complex mbira music structure Click to download karimba tablature for the song “Kukaiwa” “Kukaiwa” is one of my favorite songs in our recently published “About 30 Traditional Karimba Songs” book and instructional download.  This arrangement comes to us from kalimba maven Ivodne Galatea, who mentions that CD liner notes indicate that “Kukaiwa” may be traditional, or it may be original to Dumisani Maraire. Mariaire brought the marimba band movement to the western United States in the 70s, 80s, and 90s. He may also be the man who first brought the karimba, which he called mbira nyunga nyunga, to the USA.   This arrangement of

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Blog
Mark Holdaway

TIP:Technique: Playing with the right index finger – 3

Yes, but what if you don’t feel like using your right index finger? You can use the thumb slide-off technique! Buy the African Tuned Karimba, save 13% with coupon code CAT13 I find the addition of the right index finger to the two thumbs to be essential to playing African music, and in expanding the capabilities of kalimbas in general.  However, it typically feels unnatural at first, no matter which approach you take.  A great many people resist using their (non-thumb) fingers on these instruments. If you just don’t want to (or cannot) use a forefinger, what are you to do? It’s not just beginners who feel awkward twisting their

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