kalimba: An alternative name for the mbira, a musical instrument native to Zimbabwe. Metal tines attached to a wooden board are played by plucking.

The musician playing the instrument may use these two holes to make a “wa-wa” sound.
Despite their differences, both instruments create the distinct buzzing effect which distinguishes these thumb pianos from any instrument in Western music.

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Mbira design of singing using loud cries near the top of the singer’s range, frequently ornamented with sliding pitches and yodeling.
An hourglass-shaped drum from West Africa, whose pitch could be regulated to mimic the tone and prosody of human speech.
Brian Clark is really a multi-instrumentalist and music producer.
He is passionate about practically all areas of music and he particularly enjoys writing about the music industry.
A versatile performer, Chaka Chawasarira has experience in several indigenous instruments.

Mbira (pronounced m-BEE-ra , /əmˈbɪərə/) are a category of musical instruments, traditional to the Shona people of Zimbabwe.
Musicologists classify it as a lamellaphone, part of the plucked idiophone family of musical instruments.
In Eastern and Southern Africa, there are numerous forms of mbira, often accompanied by the hosho, a percussion instrument.
It is often a significant instrument played at religious ceremonies, weddings, and other social gatherings.
Əm-BEER -ə) certainly are a category of musical instruments, traditional to the Shona people of Zimbabwe.
The Mbria can be an African drum, traditional to the Shona people of Zimbabwe.

Metal Keys – (sometimes Also Known As ‘mbira’)

In African music, buzzing doesn’t always mean ‘broken’ – Buzz might connect us with the esoteric, supernatural and spiritual power.
In other parts of Africa, buzzing Kazoo-like sounds are employed in ceremonial masks to generate the feeling of something ‘other-worldly’.
For an identical effect, spiders webs (or more recently – cigarette papers and plastic bags) are put over holes in gourd resonator chambers that buzz under the keys of the Balafon .

The incredible sound of the Kalimba has captivated audiences around the globe, and it has turn into a popular instrument in various musical genres, including pop, jazz, and classical.
On stage, these performers played the mbira in addition to modern rock instruments including electric guitar and bass, drum kit, and horns.
Their arrangements consisted of a lot of songs which were taken straight from the standard mbira repertoire.
Because the 1970s, when she was a pupil of Dumisani Maraire, Claire Jones has been playing and teaching the mbira for more than four decades.

Uncovering The Cultural Significance Of The Kalimba In Modern Society

The mbira was originally used during ceremonial functions, such as funerals and weddings.
Not only is it used for religious purposes, these were also found in ceremonies honoring folks of significance in the community.
However, it is extremely difficult to be described, as it is unique to the instrument.
In fact, when you hear the instrument live for the very first time, the buzzing may be a little distracting.
Over time though, it will become clear why it really is so important.
Another difference between your two, is that the mbira has a double row of keys, whereas the kalimba has a single row of keys.

The mbira is often played inside a hollow gourd resonator called a Deze.
This amplifies the sound and can change the mbira instrument’s sound in unexpected ways – some notes or overtones might are more pronounced while some fade.
There’s plenty of different types of mbira, kalimba and ‘thumb piano’ instruments.

• Where folk record themselves exercising and then improvise some music to go with it.
• Place a studio microphone near your kalimba, plug in headphones, and pay attention to the audio whilst you play.
• A typical mbira dzavadzimu includes between 22 and 28 keys made of hot- or cold-forged metal affixed to a hardwood soundboard in three different registers—two on the left, one on the right.
• The musician playing the instrument can use these two holes to create a “wa-wa” sound.
• An hourglass-shaped drum from West Africa, whose pitch can be regulated to mimic the tone and prosody of human speech.

A set of drums found in North India – the wooden cylindrical daya or tabla used the right hand, and the rounder metal baya used the left hand.

This allows for greater collaboration and a more suitable sound.
It had been inspired by Hugh Tracey in the 1960s, who fell in love with the music culture within Zimbabwe.
It puts a Western touch on the traditional sounding mbira, that was a key reason for its integration within the Western market.

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This makes changing mbira around mid-performance a delicate operation, and leads some players to arrive with a Deze for every mbira!
These days, many would rather use a moulded fibreglass deze, but the sound is different and often thought of as less appealing.
Being a natural product, every Deze is different and can change the sound the mbira in various ways.