A Brief Introduction: Kalimba
History
The kalimba, also known as a thumb piano, is an African
instrument that is native to Zimbabwe and traditional to the Shona people. There
are various makes and bodies today, including wooden and acrylic bases with varying
key amounts, such as a 10-key, a 15-key, a 17-key, and so forth. Most kalimbas are
made using metal tines, and although the instrument dates back to roughly 3,000
years when it was made using bamboo, the metal tined types have been around for
about 1,300 years. Kalimbas are a branch of thumb pianos, the name representing
a type of non-traditional variant of mbiras – or traditional thumb pianos – and
the term was coined by Hugh Tracey in 1954.
Development
Metal tined kalimbas were created when the iron age
reached Africa, but people were discouraged from making their own iron
creations. Because of this, the early metal tined kalimbas were created using
materials such as nails and bicycle spokes. The continued development of this
type of kalimba is the popular type on the market. This said, some kalimbas are
still made using plants, such as the previously mentioned bamboo, but there is little
market value for these as they are not very durable.
Playing a kalimba
A kalimba is made from numerous keys of varying
lengths being mounted onto a soundbox. The individual holds the soundbox and
uses their thumbs to pick the keys. Most players use their thumbnails to pick
the ends of the keys, but people can also use the tips of their thumbs or thumb
picks, which are rubber coverings that latch onto the ends of the keys. When
played, kalimbas have what is known as a sharp attack with a moderate decay of
the pure tones. This sound is unique when compared to the likes of a guitar or
a traditional piano, but it is beautiful, nonetheless.
To learn more about the sound of a kalimba, check out this analysis.
Comments
Post a Comment