Kalimba: Difference between revisions

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{{Wikipedia|Mbira}}
{{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 Joe Monzo on the MakeMicroMusic yahoo forum.
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 Joe Monzo on the MakeMicroMusic yahoo forum.
== 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>


== Kalimbas used in microtonal music ==
== Kalimbas used in microtonal music ==
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* http://bp.b0b.com/2016/01/tuning-a-kalimba-to-bp/ (Tuning a kalimba to the [[Bohlen-Pierce|Bohlen-Pierce]] scale)
* http://bp.b0b.com/2016/01/tuning-a-kalimba-to-bp/ (Tuning a kalimba to the [[Bohlen-Pierce|Bohlen-Pierce]] scale)
* 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]].
* 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]


== Further development of kalimba-type instruments ==
== Array Mbira ==
Kalimba-type instruments can also be developed further.
The [http://www.arraymbira.com Array Mbira] is a xenharmonic instrument designed and built by [[Bill Wesley]]. Wesley's description:


* [https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=YcuAk5UY5g8 Kalimba with pitch bends]
''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.''
* [http://www.arraymbira.com Array Mbira]    
 
''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:African music]]
[[Category:Instruments]]
[[Category:Instruments]]