What is a Kalimba?

The Kalimba, is an African thumb piano.

Traditionally, the Kalimba is made up of a wooden board with varying numbers of tines secured to it.  The tines are longest in the middle of the instrument, and shorter towards the edges.  You can tune the tines by pulling them out to lengthen them, or pushing them in to shorten them.

The Kalimba is usually held in both hands, with both thumbs plucking the tines.

There are many different types of thumb pianos.  Some are large, and played with thumbs and fingers.  The thumb piano belongs to the bar percussion family (lamellophones).

Here is Carol of The Bells on an Alto Kalimba:

-Lauren

Gravikord

The gravikord... As you can see it has a very unique look to it, and the sound is just fantastic. It's an electric double harp, and was invented and patented by Robert Grawi in 1986. It's modeled after the 21 string West African kora. It is made of welded stainless steel tubing, with 24 nylon strings but with no resonating guard or skin. The bridge is a synthetic material made very differently from the kora and its range in pitch is greater. As you can tell from the video, the playing technique is very similar to that of the kora, though the hands are in a more natural position to the strings.

Please feel free to ask questions or comment on any of our posts.

 -Ashley

Kora

A kora is built from a large calabash cut in half, is covered with cow skin to make a resonator, and has a notched bridge. It does not fit well into any single category of western instruments and would have to be described as a "double bridge harp lute." The player uses only the thumb and index finger of both hands to pluck the strings in polyrhythmic patterns (using the remaining fingers to secure the instrument by holding the hand posts on either side of the strings).

Here's the video:

Check out its newer form, the gravikord!

Please feel free to ask questions or comment on any of our posts.

-Ashley

The Erhu

In our quest to discover instruments around the world, I'd like to begin with the Erhu or "Southern Fiddle."  This traditional Chinese instrument is of particular interest to me because I'll soon be moving to China.

The Erhu has a strange build.  It has a long, thin wooden neck.  The small "sound box" located at the bottom is covered by stretched python skin.  The bow, made of multiple horse hairs runs between the two strings of the Erhu when played, Never losing contact with the strings.  The stretched python skin vibrates creating the sound.

This unique instrument is said to be one of China's most popular instruments.  You'll hear the Erhu used as a solo instrument, in an orchestra, or even in pop and rock music.

Please feel free to ask questions or comment on any of our posts.

-Lauren