Kalimba 17 / 21 Key America Walnut Hluru Flat Board w/Case

Best Easy-to-Learn Musical Instrument

Kalimba with beautiful design & ethereal sound

The kalimba is modelled after the ancient African musical instrument called mbira. The varying styles of kalimba and mbira have endured for thousands of years and have had numerous layouts, designs, and tunings. As a result, this instrument produces a warm ethereal sound that feels "like nature in a box". And most importantly, the experience of playing the kalimba will genuinely help you to relax and unwind. This article talks about why the kalimba is a fantastic instrument for everyone!

Need a little help in choosing the right kalimba? Here is a little kalimba buyer's guide made just for you.

High Quality Material

Hluru kalimba has exquisite crafts with the most exciting designs. Handmade with high-quality American walnut wood. Walnut yields excellent balance and comes with tonal characteristics that fall between rosewood and mahogany. Walnut also starts a little deeper on the low end, initially giving it a slightly woodier sound than Koa. The bass notes on the 21-key model are refreshing and ethereal. YouTuber April Yang played this model in many of her videos.  

Keys are made of ore steel tines that provide a bright and clear timbre. The key touch is softer than other brands, which is more comfortable to play with and suitable for beginners.

Tuning

This Kalimba arrives conveniently pre-tuned in the key of C, allowing you to delve into play immediately upon receipt of your order. In addition, the Kalimba can stay in tune for an extensive period, meaning you won't have to worry about tuning when you're just starting to learn. Additionally, it can be retuned to any other scale you prefer.

Easy To Learn

No musical background? No problem at all! The notes engraved on the tines make following sheet music a breeze. To play, simply hold the instrument between your palms, then use your thumbs to pluck the keys. You will have a beautiful melody in no time! 

1. There is a free learning booklet within your order that can teach you all the basics.
2. Follow us on Facebook @littlekalimbashop, we will upload kalimba tabs and mini tutorials regularly.
3. Check this link for some simple yet sweet songs we made for beginners! (we will keep on updating more tabs)

Generally speaking, the flat-board Kalimba produces bright and clear tones, standing out as the clearest sounding among different types. However, the hollow-body Kalimba is the most popular type due to its warm tone and long sustain.

The hollow design provides a unique "wah-wah" sound effect when you move your fingers around the soundhole in the middle, making it a delight to play.

On the other hand, the Acrylic Kalimba delivers a very clear tone as well. However, acrylic, as a material, doesn't vibrate as much as wood, meaning the sound produced by the Acrylic Kalimba is quieter compared to the wooden one.

As for the influence of wood type on the tone, it's not substantial but still noticeable. Importantly, the shape of the Kalimba has a more significant impact on the sound than the type of wood used.

Regardless of the differences in materials or shapes, the method of playing remains the same. Thus, choosing a Kalimba that features colour and design that you find most appealing would enhance the overall enjoyment of your playing experience!