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{{Wikipedia|Mbira}} | |||
The '''kalimba''', a modern version of the [[African]] '''mbira''', is an instrument that is small, cheap and easy to retune, and hence another good candidate as a gateway to microtonal music. Retuning is apparently common practice among the traditional mbira masters in Africa - see e.g. [https://yahootuninggroupsultimatebackup.github.io/makemicromusic/topicId_11002.html#11005 this article] by [[Joseph Monzo]] on the MakeMicroMusic yahoo forum. | |||
== Kalimbas used in microtonal music == | |||
Several members of the Yahoo tuning forums have used kalimbas for microtonal music: | |||
* [https://yahootuninggroupsultimatebackup.github.io/tuning/topicId_78054.html#78060 http://launch.groups.yahoo.com/group/tuning/message/78060] (Kalimba tuned to [[OverToneSeries|harmonic series]], [[George_Secor|George D. Secor]]) | |||
* [https://yahootuninggroupsultimatebackup.github.io/tuning/topicId_78106.html#78106 http://launch.groups.yahoo.com/group/tuning/message/78106] (Kalimba tuned to [[Mavila#Mavila|Mavila]] pentatonic, <span style="">[[Petr_Pařízek|Petr Pařízek]]</span>) | |||
There are YouTube videos of microtonal kalimba music: | |||
* http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VRnAHx-7Ef4 ([[Jacob_Barton|Jacob Barton]] playing kalimba at the [http://www.untwelve.org UnTwelve] event on the 31.07.2008) | |||
* http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RJd5DLtbtgk ([[Aaron_Krister_Johnson|Aaron Krister Johnson]] of [http://www.untwelve.org UnTwelve] playing his composition "Queen of Hearts") | |||
[[Sevish]] has produced several tracks with microtonal kalimba: | |||
[[ | * [[Fuschiamarine]] | ||
[[ | * [https://sevish.bandcamp.com/track/kalimba-practice-2012 Kalimba Practice 2012] | ||
* [[I Won't Forget]] | |||
* [[Marooned at Home]] | |||
* [[Sea Poem]] | |||
* [[You Tell Me]] | |||
Other microtonal kalimba/mbira references: | Other microtonal kalimba/mbira references: | ||
* http://bp.b0b.com/2016/01/tuning-a-kalimba-to-bp/ (Tuning a kalimba to the [[Bohlen–Pierce scale]]) | |||
[[http:// | * A kalimba in Bohlen–Pierce tuning is also used in [http://georghajdu.de/compositions/just-her-jester-gesture/ Just Her – Jester – Gesture] and [http://georghajdu.de/burning-petrol/ Burning Petrol], compositions by [[Georg_Hajdu|Georg Hajdu]]. | ||
* [https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=YcuAk5UY5g8 Kalimba with pitch bends] | |||
=== Array mbira === | |||
Reference material on | The [http://www.arraymbira.com array mbira] is a xenharmonic instrument designed and built by [[Bill Wesley]]. Wesley's description: | ||
Paul F. Berliner, | |||
L. E. McNeil, S. Mitran, | ''The 1 - 29 harmonics are tuned into the 15 five octave courses on the players right, and the 1 - 29 subharmonics are tuned into the 15 octave courses on the players left.'' | ||
''C1 is the harmonic "1" and D#6 the subharmonic "1". The 12 octave courses in the center, 6 harmonic and 6 subharmonic, form a rough chromatic series of 12 notes or "pitch classes" with this capacity being unique to choosing the minor third difference between the harmonic 1 and subharmonic 1. The exact ratio used for the minor third difference between the harmonic 1 and subharmonic 1 pitch classes is 13/11.'' | |||
''Pitch shifting effects pedals are controlled by a stereo-out foot-actuated expression pedal for added pitch shift effects which pedals also provide unique tones for the tines.'' | |||
Wesley produced the following diagrams of the instrument's layout: | |||
<gallery> | |||
BillWesleyKeyboardLeft.jpg|The left half of the instrument. | |||
BillWesleyKeyboardRight.jpg|The right half of the instrument. | |||
</gallery> | |||
== Reference material on Mbira == | |||
* Paul F. Berliner, [http://www.press.uchicago.edu/ucp/books/book/chicago/S/bo3644709.html The Soul of Mbira], University of Chicago Press, 1993. | |||
* L. E. McNeil, S. Mitran, [https://www.academia.edu/2847668/Vibrational_frequencies_and_tuning_of_the_African_mbira Vibrational Frequencies and Tunings of the African Mbira], Journal of the Acoustical Society of America<span style="">, 2008.</span> | |||
[[Category:African music]] | |||
[[Category:Instruments]] | |||
{{Todo|cultural expertise}} | |||
Latest revision as of 18:02, 27 December 2025
The kalimba, a modern version of the African mbira, is an instrument that is small, cheap and easy to retune, and hence another good candidate as a gateway to microtonal music. Retuning is apparently common practice among the traditional mbira masters in Africa - see e.g. this article by Joseph Monzo on the MakeMicroMusic yahoo forum.
Kalimbas used in microtonal music
Several members of the Yahoo tuning forums have used kalimbas for microtonal music:
- http://launch.groups.yahoo.com/group/tuning/message/78060 (Kalimba tuned to harmonic series, George D. Secor)
- http://launch.groups.yahoo.com/group/tuning/message/78106 (Kalimba tuned to Mavila pentatonic, Petr Pařízek)
There are YouTube videos of microtonal kalimba music:
- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VRnAHx-7Ef4 (Jacob Barton playing kalimba at the UnTwelve event on the 31.07.2008)
- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RJd5DLtbtgk (Aaron Krister Johnson of UnTwelve playing his composition "Queen of Hearts")
Sevish has produced several tracks with microtonal kalimba:
Other microtonal kalimba/mbira references:
- http://bp.b0b.com/2016/01/tuning-a-kalimba-to-bp/ (Tuning a kalimba to the Bohlen–Pierce scale)
- A kalimba in Bohlen–Pierce tuning is also used in Just Her – Jester – Gesture and Burning Petrol, compositions by Georg Hajdu.
- Kalimba with pitch bends
Array mbira
The array mbira is a xenharmonic instrument designed and built by Bill Wesley. Wesley's description:
The 1 - 29 harmonics are tuned into the 15 five octave courses on the players right, and the 1 - 29 subharmonics are tuned into the 15 octave courses on the players left.
C1 is the harmonic "1" and D#6 the subharmonic "1". The 12 octave courses in the center, 6 harmonic and 6 subharmonic, form a rough chromatic series of 12 notes or "pitch classes" with this capacity being unique to choosing the minor third difference between the harmonic 1 and subharmonic 1. The exact ratio used for the minor third difference between the harmonic 1 and subharmonic 1 pitch classes is 13/11.
Pitch shifting effects pedals are controlled by a stereo-out foot-actuated expression pedal for added pitch shift effects which pedals also provide unique tones for the tines.
Wesley produced the following diagrams of the instrument's layout:
-
The left half of the instrument. -
The right half of the instrument.
Reference material on Mbira
- Paul F. Berliner, The Soul of Mbira, University of Chicago Press, 1993.
- L. E. McNeil, S. Mitran, Vibrational Frequencies and Tunings of the African Mbira, Journal of the Acoustical Society of America, 2008.