Understanding the anatomy of the instrument
To select the best kalimba to buyFor example, the Kalimba, otherwise known as the thumb piano, is considered a lamellophone in the percussion category.
It consists of a sounding boarda note fastening and pressure system called "blades" or "teeth most often made of metals such as steel. Each of these components is important, and has a direct impact on the sound quality of the instruments in question, so how do you choose the best kalimba to buy? That's what we're going to find out in this article!
Mahogany is a very strong wood, used in many Kalimba and other musical instruments such as guitars and ukuleles. It's used because it's easily accessible and relatively inexpensive, and seems excellent for musical instruments such as our favorite lamellophone.
They are chosen by well-known brands as being reliable for beginners:
- Gecko
- Ling Ting
- Moozica
- Amoon
- TheKalimba
We offer various instrument models from these brands, which we encourage to develop.
Our opinion on Kalimba in Camphor tree
Camphor instruments have a much whiter, more uniform color than mahogany instruments. The wood is extremely soft to the touch and feels softer than mahogany, and a sweet, subtle scent of camphor can emanate from your instrument, which is very pleasant!
As for sound, it's softer than mahogany and will relax you every time. However, the sound is less audible at long range, so you'll need to invest in a piezo pickup if you hope to play with other instruments like guitars, or to accompany vocals in a band.
Brands supplying camphor kalimba:
Plus points :
- An interesting sense of touch
- A pleasant fragrance
- Soft, round notes
Minuses:
- Heavier than mahogany
- A sound that doesn't carry as far as mahogany
Our opinions on the various brands :
- Gecko The brand made popular by April Yang The famous Kalimba player in Asia is a must, and you'll find a multitude of instrument models in their collections with different woods to offer the best choice to thumb piano enthusiasts. We recommend that beginners and initiated players choose Gecko to discover the wealth of sounds these magical, high-quality instruments can produce! Brand rating: 4.7 out of 5 stars!
- Ling Ting: The Chinese brand now offers three models of kalimba, including one without a resonance box and two with a resonance box, as well as a top-quality electric kalimba. The brand is aimed at experts and is considered to be one of the best kalimbas in the world today. Our boutique offers several Ling Ting instruments, including a 21-note Kalimba model which will soon be arriving in our boutique as soon as the brand releases its new production! We highly recommend this brand for music experts. Brand rating: 5 out of 5 stars!
Moozica: Moozica instruments are known for being beautiful instruments, but many people who have ordered this instrument on Amazon have unfortunately complained about the sound quality in the treble range, which unfortunately doesn't necessarily sound perfect, which detracts from the playing experience on the brand's thumb piano. Brand rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars!
The Kalimba: Kalimba brand only available in our store, we have designed this instrument to be both inexpensive and of superior quality, combining the best of both worlds between expert kalimbas that can be very expensive and more accessible kalimbas. We wanted to create an instrument that was accessible and usable by as many people as possible. The big plus of this instrument lies in the quality of the blades used and the attachment system, which gives a good high-pitched sound. It can also be easily tuned with applications like Pano Tuner (free on the play store). Brand rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars!
MyKalimba Reviews: The kalimbas from the well-known brand MyKalimba are of relatively good quality, and the instrument was popularized thanks to a marketing video that went viral on Facebook. We tested the instrument, which is visually very beautiful! Unfortunately, the treble doesn't sound very good and the wood used for the resonance box doesn't necessarily seem to be of excellent quality. You can feel that the wood is very light, even too light - we wouldn't necessarily recommend this kalimba for those looking for sound quality, but we would recommend it if you're looking for a beautiful kalimba. Brand rating: 3.7 out of 5 stars
8, 10, 17, 21 notes - how many notes do I need to choose my Kalimba?
If you want to get started with the Kalimba as an instrument, you will be faced with the difficult choice of "which kalimba to buy?" You'll find various comparisons that won't necessarily help you choose the right instrument, so here's our guide to choosing a thumb piano that's right for you:
"I want to learn to play known music": Don't think twice about going for a 17-note Kalimba in order to get the most tablatures (called Ktabs) or books to learn the instrument. The vast majority of literature on sale concerns 17-note instruments, so don't think twice and go for it.
"I want to carry a small, lightweight instrument": Go for a Kalimba with 8 or 10 notes, they are small and extremely light but you won't be able to play a lot of music and you won't find many books, courses or videos showing you how to play. However, these Kalimbas are perfect for improvisation, with just enough notes to easily retain the sound of each note on the instrument.
"I've already played an instrument and I'm a music professional": Go for an instrument with 21 notes or more, or even a chromatic Kalimba (which has all the notes/all the colors), and you'll be extremely free to play whatever you like, a bit like a piano or a chromatic lyre harp, for example.
Kalimba in Acrylic or Resin :
If you've ever come across a transparent Kalimba and wondered how it could be, or even what a transparent Kalimba sounds like, you should know that the sound is much higher-pitched and more crystalline than that of a wooden instrument (mahogany or camphor).
This instrument is particularly appreciated by those who have tested more traditional kalimbas for having a "texture" quite different from other wooden instruments. I invite you to try it for yourself!
Plus points: It's beautiful, the sound is distinctive and it's quite original.
Minus: The instrument sounds a little less round and natural, and the weight of the kalimba is much heavier than even solid wood instruments.
If you are still hesitating, you can consult our Ultimate Guide to choosing the best kalimba by clicking here. here.
to come in the article :