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Lyrics to Some Kalimba Holiday Music    These are some secular holiday songs that I get great joy from playing on kalimba. You can either read along silently, or if you are inspired to sing, please join me!   Winter Wonderland Sleigh bells ring, are you listening?In the lane, snow is glisteningA beautiful sightWe’re happy tonightWalking in a winter wonderland   Gone away is the bluebirdHere to stay is a new birdHe sings a love songAs we go alongWalking in a winter wonderland   In the meadow we can build a snowmanWe’ll pretend that he is Parson BrownHe’ll say, Are you married?We’ll say, No manBut you can do the job

Lyrics to Mark Holdaway’s “Kalimba Christmas” Medley   This is a medley of all the Christmas carols that were deeply meaningful to me as I was growing up. I first created this medley for Kalimba in 2002, and it is available on my CD “Christmas Kalimba”.  You can either read the lyrics silently as the kalimba plays, or you can sing along if you are inspired.   Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring (Instrumental) O Holy Night O holy night the stars are brightly shiningIt is the night of our dear Savior’s birthLong lay the world in sin and error piningTill He appeared and the soul felt its worth A thrill

This is the tuning Cornelius Duncan uses on his track on Poncho Sanchez’ Acclaimed CD “Trane’s Delight” One of the key features of most kalimbas: You will find the higher-octave note on the opposite side from where you find that same note an octave lower. For example, low C is on the right, and the C that’s an octave higher is on the left side of the kalimba. This layout (which is of alternating ascending notes) completely informs how the instrument is played and the resulting music.                                        But what if there were a tuning where a given note that is on the right side… stays on the right side in

Find the books and downloads that will work for your kalimba I’m Mark Holdaway. I’ve been playing kalimba since 1986, and I put all my experience into my kalimba books. Hi, Mark from Kalimba Magic again. Each different type of kalimba, with different notes, is capable of different songs. Hence, each different type of kalimba needs its own book. As there are dozens of fundamentally different types of kalimbas out there, there are many many kalimba books… in my universe, anyway! I have written 50 kalimba instructional downloads and 25 kalimba books. And so, when you go looking at my kalimba books or ebooks, figuring out which one/s would work

On most kalimbas, including the 17-Note Kalimba in C, octave pair notes will be on opposite hands Here is a great tip to help you play the 17-note kalimba. Actually, most “regular” kalimbas follow this rule, so read on even if you have an 8-Note, an Alto, a Treble, or a Pentatonic kalimba. “Regular” kalimbas have low notes in the center, and as you go farther from the center, notes get higher. Consecutive notes alternate from right to left, going outward as you go up the scale. Consider the scale “Do Re Mi Fa So La Ti Do” = “1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8.” If the low

If you live in a humid climate, your kalimba tines could rust over the years I have seen some pretty old kalimbas with totally rusted tines. Kalimbas that have lived on a sailboat for 5 years. Kalimbas that have lived in Hawaii for 20 years. Kalimbas that have lived in Miama for 10 years. These high humidity environs can certainly induce kalimba tine rust. But I think most of these kalimbas could have been handled differently so they didn’t get so bad so fast. Keep reading if you would like to know some simple things you can do to prevent or remove rust from your kalimba tines.   What if

After playing for 40+ years, Cornelius Duncan has jumped to the top! Cornelius Duncan has been playing his Hugh Tracey Alto kalimba in this “Duncan tuning” for most of his life. But he did not invent this tuning – rather, it came from his brother, Phillip Allen Duncan. A stunning YouTube video of Cornelius Duncan playing his special-tuned Hugh Tracey Alto kalimba has had just 2000 views over its 7-year life. Cornelius’ music honors legendary 1960s jazz saxophonist John Coltrane by playing a song that reflects Coltraine’s song, “A Love Supreme.” The song, called “A Kalimba Supreme” is serious and meditative, showing the master kalimba player offering his strands of

Mark can point you to many helpful resources A Box Lotus and a Regular Lotus Karimba  Thank you for connecting with Kalimba Magic.   I am Mark Holdaway, founder and director of Kalimba Magic. I am dedicated to teaching the world to play this wonderful little instrument. You will find all sorts of useful posts coming through the Kalimba Magic blogs and Facebook page, including playing and performance tips, interviews with players, information about new kalimbas or kalimba books, inspirational tidbits, and free instructional material and tablature.   What else do you need to know right now? Let me guess.   Here are some particularly useful pages for the beginning

Tunings, Books, eBooks, and Kalimbas   The simple 9-Note Sansula, or Hokema B9, has been a spectacular, emotive instrument that people have loved for almost 20 years. Now it’s time to move up to the B11. While the Sansula is charming and beautiful, there are precious few songs you can play on it. The B11 has another name – the “Melody”. That is because it lends itself to making melodies with simple accompaniment, In other words, if you seem to be at a dead end with the Sansula, you might want to check out the B11, because there is so much more music you can do with it! Exploring the