Africa Heartwood Project Kalimba Thumb Piano - 7-9 Tunable Keys - African Gourd Kalimba Mbira
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Africa Heartwood Project Kalimba Thumb Piano - 7-9 Tunable Keys - African Gourd Kalimba Mbira
HANDCRAFTED IN GHANA – This coconut kalimba instrument (kuh-LIM-buh) is hand crafted in Ghana by village cultural artisans supported by the non-profit Africa Heartwood Project. Also known as a thumb piano, it is derived from the more complex South African mbira. Each gourd is hand-made with hand-crafted art work. Variations in art work and design will occur.
DURABLE HANDMADE CONSTRUCTION – Made from solid wood top mounted on a strong, rounded gourd base and keys mounted on a metal bridge. The kalimba thumb piano measures 6-7" wide and 3-4" tall, better suited for small or youth size hands.
7-9 TUNABLE METAL KEYS – Can be played right out of the box, but can also be tuned to your preference, as this pocket piano has 7-9 tunable metal keys securely mounted on a metal bridge. Tune by gently loosening the screws, moving the tines in (higher pitch) or out (lower pitch), and tightening the screws. The tines can also be easily repositioned to give more or less room between them for your playing comfort.
MELODIC AND RESONANT SOUND – The sound created is very melodic and resonant, very "African" sounding. Played by plucking the keys with the thumbs of each hand while holding the gourd body in the palms. One or two holes in the top for amplification and resonance – this finger piano sounds louder than it looks.
SUPPORTING COMMUNITY AND TRADITION – Our musical instruments and accessories are unique. All our products are hand-crafted in Africa by village cultural artisans. Each purchase contributes directly to Africa Heartwood Project, supporting the livelihoods of communities in Africa. This non-profit, run by passionate volunteers, fights poverty and promotes community development in West Africa. Your choice makes a difference, blending the joy of music with social impact.
This Africa Heartwood Project kalimba (kuh-LIM-buh) is the smaller of the two gourd kalimbas available from Ghana, and is better suited for youth-size hands. Also known as a thumb piano, this instrument is derived from the more complex South African mbira, and is played by plucking the keys with the thumbs of each hand whilst holding the gourd body in the palms. The sound created is very melodic and resonant, very "African" sounding. Each key is adjustable so you can tune the instrument according to your preferences by sliding the key in or out. Covered by our satisfaction guarantee, this kalimba features: * Solid wood top mounted on a strong, rounded gourd base * 7-9 adjustable metal keys securely mounted on a metal bridge * One or two holes in the top for amplification and resonance * Durable hand made construction * Imported directly from Ghana * Exact design may vary from photos to include artwork on gourd * Arrives playable but not tuned to a specific scale. You may quickly tune it to your preferred scale and sound with a pair of pliers, sliding the tines to increase or decrease its length from the bridge to the end where the thumb plucks the tine. The greater the length the lower the note. (World Percussion USA is the ONLY authorized seller of Africa Heartwood Project instruments on Amazon. All other sellers claiming above to also sell this item as described are not honest sellers, so proceed with caution.)