8-Note Kalimba
Overview
Sheet music in our 8-Note Kalimba series includes melodies, lyrics, and chord symbols with kalimba tablature. The music is arranged for a diatonic 8-key kalimba in C major.
What Is Included
Music in our Easy Kalimba series includes:
- Melody in notation and kalimba tablature
- Lyrics if the original music includes words
- Chord symbols above the music
Required Skills
- Ability to read kalimba tablature. You will also benefit from the ability to read notation to help with the rhythms.
Instrument Requirements
Our music will work on 8-note diatonic kalimbas only. If your kalimba is pentatonic, the music won't work. You can determine the type of kalimba you have by looking at the numbers on the tines of your kalimba. If the numbers 4 and 7 are missing, your kalimba is pentatonic. If all of the numbers 1 to 7 are included, your kalimba is diatonic and our music can be played on your instrument.
The Music
The range of an 8-note kalimba limits how much music can be played on it. Many songs exceed this range. In some cases, part of a song exceeds the range, but another part fits on the instrument. For example, the verse of Jingle Bells doesn't work, but the refrain does, so we include only the refrain for this song.
We may occasionally alter music in other ways to allow it to fit on the instrument. This may include changing a note to another pitch and transposing a note to a higher or lower octave. We only do this when the result is reasonably satisfying.
Chords
Chord symbols are included above the music. The chords may be simplified slightly to make it easy for guitarists, pianists, or other musicians to accompany you.
Music Notation and Tablature
The music notation and chord symbols are for kalimba in C major. Most 8-key kalimbas are in C major. However, you should check the specifications for your kalimba to verify yours is in this key.
Tablature for kalimba is included below the music. The tablature includes the following:
- The numbers 1 to 7
- A single dot above the number 1 for the highest note
The numbers correspond to the keys (or tines) on the kalimba. A dot indicates a note in a higher octave. For example, a 1 on a standard 8-key kalimba is the pitch C. A 1 with a dot above it is a C one octave higher.
You can play music using the tablature by playing the tine that corresponds to the number in the tablature. The tines on many kalimbas are engraved with these numbers.
Note that the tablature will work for kalimbas in keys other than C as long as they use the same layout. You will just be playing in a different key than what is notated.
Our kalimba ebooks include a brief guide to reading tablature for kalimba along with a chart of where the numbers are located on the kalimba.
Lyrics
We generally include one verse of lyrics within the music. Other lyrics are included as text at the end of the music. Some lyrics may be omitted, but this is usually done only when there are too many verses to easily include (e.g., songs that include dozens of verses).
Lyrics may vary from the version you know. A small number of songs include many variations in lyrics, none of which are standardized. It isn't always possible to create a version of these lyrics that is familiar to everyone.
Tempo
Tempos are editorial suggestions in most cases. Feel free to choose your own tempo.