Save Big on Hugh Tracey Karimbas for the Month of June 2025

African Tuned Karimba, a traditional African note layout.

Use the coupon code KARIMBA35 to save 35% on the Hugh Tracey African Tuned Karimba or the Hugh Tracey African Tuned Karimba + PU, now through June 30 2025.

Kalimba or Karimba? You might want to read here for the full story on the different names of this uniquely African instrument.

Generally, if it has two rows of tines, an upper row and a lower row, it is called a Karimba. But this is not a universal rule. The Sansula and the B11 Kalimba have two rows of tines, but they are not rooted in the traditional African karimba… so I don’t call them karimbas, but kalimbas.

On the other hand, take a look at the lower row of tines on the karimba image at the top of this page. Those note numbers, “1 3 5 6 7 1 2 3”, represent what is thought to be the “original mbira”. I call it the “student karimba”, even though it has only one row of tines. A good argument for why this could be the original karimba – people started with just the lower row of tines… and then centuries later, added the higher row of upward bent tines. Those tines on the upper row are tuned to notes to help the lower row – either an octave or a 5th above the adjacent lower row tine. This points to the lower row as being primary, and the upper row as being secondary. Then, if you learn a song on the “student karimba” with just the lower row, you can easily play that song of the full 17-Note karimba… and then gradually add the upper row tines to the song as you progress. OR: if you get the full 17-Note Karimba with lower and upper rows, start out concentrating on the lower row tines, because almost all of the traditional songs start out on just the lower row tines, and then add upper row tines in the subsequent variations.

But that is not the point of this article. The point of  this article is that you can save big on these kaRimba instruments with the code KARIMBA35.

Oh, and to help you learn to play the traditional songs on the karimba, check out these unique resources:

About 30 Trad. Tunes for Karimba, DOWNLOAD

About 30 Trad. Tunes for Karimba, BOOK

Playing the Hugyh Tracey Karimba, DOWNLOAD

Of course, you can also get the Student Karimba resources, to help you learn to play the lower row tines.

The bottom line: if you are souring on your single-row kalimba, and you are looking for something totally different… or if you are looking for a more authentic African experience, now is a great time to try the Hugh Tracey African Tuned Karimba or the Hugh Tracey African Tuned Karimba + PU.