Instructional Resources for the Treble Kalimba

It was the original hugh tracey kalimba

 

The Treble kalimba maintains a special place in the history of the kalimba: when Hugh Tracey began to market his new invention in the early 1950s, it was the 17-Note Treble kalimba. The Alto kalimba started selling in the 1960s. The Pentatonic kalimba came in the 1970s as an answer to Earth, Wind and Fire, and the African-tuned Karimba came around 1980, fulfilling Andrew Tracey’s dream to popularize this traditional African instrument.  But the Hugh Tracey Treble was THE original Hugh Tracey kalimba.

Kalimba Magic also offers Treble kalimbas in the keys of Bb and D. These are my own modifications of the basic tuning and note layout that let the Treble branch out into any key you want. The Bb Treble and D Treble kalimbas are versatile in that they can “read” Alto kalimba tablature (though the sound recordings will sound a bit different). However, the standard Treble won’t correctly read materials created for any other kalimba.

Treble All Tuning

Note that the Chinese-made 17-Note kalimba in C looks a lot like the Treble kalimba, but the tuning and note layout are quite different. In my terminology, the Chinese-made kalimbas are “Bb Treble kalimbas tuned up to C” and they can read Alto tablature (with some minor accommodation). However the Chinese-made 17-Note kalimba in C has become so popular that we made a series of eBooks just for these kalimbas in their native key. To find instructional resources for the 17-Note kalimba in C, visit: The Heart-17 resources page.

Below, this article collects all the Treble kalimbas, Treble kalimba books, and instructional downloads all in one place.

Treble Fundamentals (Book)

This is a simple and straightforward introduction to playing the Treble kalimba. Chords, scales, techniques, some songs. CD included.Visit Product Page

Advanced Treble Carols (Book)

This book contains 20 advanced Christmas carols for Treble kalimba.Visit Product Page

Classical Treble (Book) – classical music melodies for treble kalimba

20 progressive favorite classical pieces, arranged for Treble kalimba by Sharon Eaton and Mark Holdaway. Ranges from simple to difficult.Visit Product Page

Treble Hymnal (Book)

50 favorite hymns arranged for Treble kalimba, ranges from simple to full arrangements with harmony and melody. A great value.Visit Product Page

Easy Christmas Carols for the Treble Kalimba (eBook)

Are you a beginning kalimba player who wants to learn some Christmas Carols for their 17-Note Hugh Tracey Treble kalimba in G, with a low note of B? Perhaps you have owned a Treble kalimba for years, and have never really explored it? Or perhaps you’ve been playing for years, and now is the right time to really dig in and learn some songs? If you look like one of those people, this is the download for you.

This is an instructional download (a PDF, not a hard copy book), If you have a 17-Note Kalimba in C, there is a different download for you with mostly the same songs.
There are 32 carols in this collection, but four of them are repeats at different levels of difficulty, making 28 different unique carols. Most of the songs are “Level 1” and “Level 2,” meaning you should be ready to play them today, or in about a week of playing.

Visit Product Page

66 Song Download for Treble Kalimba (Download)

A ZIP file containing tablature files for 66 different songs arranged for Treble. Includes: Christmas, Americana, Classical, Folk, African, and Spirituals. The ZIP file contains individual PDF or MP3 files that can be viewed or played on your phone or tablet. Phones and tablets don’t open ZIP files neatly, but you can do this on your computer and then load them onto your device.Visit Product Page

66 Song Download for B flat Treble Kalimba (Download)

A ZIP file containing tablature files for 66 different songs arranged for B flat Treble. Includes: Christmas, Americana, Classical, Folk, African, and Spirituals. The ZIP file contains individual PDF or MP3 files can be viewed or played on your phone or tablet. Phones and tablets don’t open ZIP files neatly, but you can do this on your computer and then load them onto your device.Visit Product Page

Advanced Christmas Carols for the B flat Treble Kalimba (Download)

Advanced carol arrangements for the Bb Treble kalimba. This is probably my favorite kalimba for playing Christmas carols.Visit Product Page

Hugh Tracey 17 Note Treble Kalimba

The original Hugh Tracey kalimba, first made in the 1950s. The design of the Treble has remained remarkably consistent for over 60 years.Visit Product Page

Hugh Tracey 17 Note Treble Kalimba – with pickup

Plays acoustically the same as the standard Treble kalimba, but this one has an electronic pickup and 1/4 inch jack.Visit Product Page

Hugh Tracey B flat Treble Kalimba

The same 17 tines as the standard Treble, they have been slightly retuned and painted to match the “look and feel” of the Alto kalimba, with the root in the bass note. In the key of Bb, can be tuned to A, Bb, B, C.Visit Product Page

Hugh Tracey B flat Treble Kalimba – with pickup

Visit Product Page

Hugh Tracey D Treble Kalimba

The same 17 tines as the standard Treble, they have been slightly retuned and painted to match the “look and feel” of the Alto kalimba, with the root at the top. In the key of D, can be tuned to C, C#, D, D#, and E..Visit Product Page

Hugh Tracey D Treble Kalimba – with pickup

Visit Product Page

Hugh Tracey Celeste Treble Kalimba

The same notes of the Treble kalimba, but mounted on a flat board.Visit Product Page

Hugh Tracey Celeste Treble Kalimba – with pickup

Visit Product Page

Hugh Tracey Chromatic Treble Kalimba

The front side is a Bb Treble tuned up to the key of C, with C in the bass note. The back side notes are one half step below the front side notes, permitting fully chromatic playing.Visit Product Page

Sweetheart Deal (Alto and Treble)

One Hugh Tracey Alto, and one Treble kalimba, with pickups, in the standard G major tuning, at a significant discount.Visit Product Page

Matched Pair (Alto and Treble)

Hugh Tracey Alto and Treble kalimbas, with pickups, retuned to make the Treble an octave higher than the Alto.

Visit Product Page

Related Posts

Search Blog

SUBSCRIBE AND GET A FREE EBOOK

Sign up for our newsletter and free resources with your email address:

We pinky promise not to spam you and to only send good stuff.

Recent posts

ASK DR. KALIMBA

Get an expert answer to your kalimba question!

MOST POPULAR

FEATURED PRODUCTS