If you are looking for the best Kalimba for beginners, you are in the right place.
Today, it’s so easy to pick up your cell phone and get into the habit of checking your social media. There is nothing wrong with that, but what if as an alternative to your phone, you picked up a Kalimba piano instead?
Imagine the peace you find from music combined with the sense of accomplishment you feel from learning something new!
The simplicity and accessibility of a portable kalimba also makes it a great gift.
Here I will cover the best Kalimbas for beginners and show you what to look out for before choosing a beginner kalimba for yourself or someone you know.
10 Best Kalimba for beginners reviewed
Newlam 17 key Kalimba
Number of Keys/rods: 17 Key
Resonator material: Wood
Board or Box Resonator?: Box resonator
Chromatic Scale/Tone: C Major
Our Review:
The Newlam Kalimba is one of the most popular best selling Kalimbas in the beginner, economical price range because it sounds good, is easy to play and comes with everything you need to get started.
I really appreciate that this kalimba has engraved keys with the note letter and number, as engravings are so much better than stickers which can wear off or peel away.
There are resources if you search the web on how to use this Kalimba, and there are MANY books available to learn songs for 17 Key Kalimbas. Find Kalimba Song Books Here. There is also a free Google Drive resource here filled with Kalimba Sheet Music.
Takeaway: Supurb economical beginner kalimba with all the extras.
UNOKKI 17 key Kalimba for Beginners
Number of Keys/rods: 17 Key
Resonator material: Mahogany
Board or Box Resonator?: Box resonator
Chromatic Scale/Tone: International C Tuning
Our Review:
The UNOKKI Kalimba is a highly popular kalimba and one of the best kalimbas on Amazon for beginners.
Its quality and sound are on par with more expensive kalimbas and because it includes a kalimba bag, a kalimba tuning hammer and several other kalimba accessories, it is a great value.
This is one of the best sounding kalimbas in the budget price range, however, one drawbak is that the notes are not etched in the times and the included stickers must be placed near the top of the tine so they do not affect the sound of the kalimba.
Takeaway:
MOOZICA 17 Keys Kalimba Thumb Piano
Number of Keys/rods: 17 Key
Resonator material: Solid Koa Wood
Board or Box Resonator?: Box Resonator
Chromatic Scale/Tone: C Major
Our Review:
The MOOZICA Kalimba is a beautiful, resonant Kalimba made from Koa wood. Koa wood is often used in acoustic guitars thanks to its warm, deep pleasing sound.
This Kalimba is a bit more expensive than other beginner Kalimbas, but it is so well made and resonates effortlessly, making it well worth the price.
This Kalimba includes a hard case and tuning hammer, however the hammer does not fit in the case, which is a little annoying.
One feature this Kalimba has, that others may not, is the keys are ETCHED into the metal of the tines. Very handy!
Be sure to tune this Kalimba (and any new Kalimba) as they can fall out of tune during storage and shipping.
Everjoys Kalimba 21 Keys
Number of Keys/rods: 21 Key
Resonator material: Mahogany
Board or Box Resonator?: Box Resonator
Chromatic Scale/Tone: Standard C scale
Our Review:
You will love the resonance mahogany provides. It has a longer lasting tone than other woods, and a unique look that makes it stand out from the rest.
The wood is carefully stained on the outside and has a beautiful smooth to the touch finish, however, the inside is not stained as carefully, but it’s hard to notice that without looking for the flaw.
The size is just right, and this mbira feels sturdy.
The sound is excellent for a 21 key kalimba in this price range. It has no dead tines, the notes are clear and resonant, although you need to pluck the shorter tines precisely to get a good ring.
This Everjoys thumb piano Kalimba comes with a sturdy rubberized case, a playbook, tuning hammer and tine markers. In Essence, it includes all the kalimba accessories you need to start right away.
For the price, this is my top choice for Best Kalimba for beginners.
HOKEMA Kalimba B9 Thumb Piano 9 key
Number of Keys/rods: 9 Tine
Resonator material: American Cherry Wood
Lengths Available: BEAUTIFUL Curly Maple wood
Board or Box Resonator?: Box Resonator
Chromatic Scale/Tone: A Minor
Our Review:
The Hokema Kalimba is of the highest quality from a renowned German brand Kalimba maker.
The Hokema is a little more expensive than other beginner Kalimbas, but this wooden kalimba has the highest quality and sound available.
The tines are thicker than cheap kalimbas, and the heft of the tines, combined with the solid American cherry wood board produce consistent tones with ample volume no matter the length of the tine.
This Hokema model is small and easily fits in your hands and since the resonator is solid, you get a pleasant tactile sensation of feeling the vibration from the tines.
A few drawbacks include the fact that the notes are not etched on the times and no instructions are included with this kalimba.
Overall, an excellent Kalimba for beginners, simple to play and well worth the price.
Honhand 17 Key Beginners Kalimba
Number of Keys/rods: 17 Key
Resonator material: Mahogany Wood
Board or Box Resonator?: Box Resonator
Chromatic Scale/Tone: Standard C tuning
Our Review:
The Honhand thumb piano is an economical 17 key kalimba that is great for beginners.
This is a top rated kalimba in its price range because it is well built and has a clear, resonant sound that is encouraging to those who are new to playing the thumb piano.
The thumb rests on the side make it comfortable to hold and allow for a secure grip so you can easily play it.
It is easy to learn the notes since they are etched into the tines and Honhand has included everything you need to play, maintain and protect your kalimba, including a song book to follow along and start playing right away.
YUNDIE Affordable Kalimba for beginners
Number of Keys/rods: 17 Key
Resonator material: Wood
Board or Box Resonator?: Box Resonator
Chromatic Scale/Tone: Standard C tuning
Our Review:
The YUNDIE Kalimba is one of the more affordable kalimbas in this lineup, without sacrificing quality and sound.
The keys of this thumb piano are engraved so they wont wear away or look cheap like stickers might.
This is a well made instrument with a pleasing tone. Well worth the price.
LingTing Kalimba 17 keys Thumb Piano
Number of Keys/rods: 17 Key
Resonator material: Hedgehog Rosewood
Board or Box Resonator?: Board Resonator
Chromatic Scale/Tone: B Tone
Our Review:
This LingTing Kalimba is a great value and one of the best beginner Kalimbas in the budget price range.
The hedgehog rosewood has lasting resonance and sustain, ample volume, and a warm, relaxing sound. This particular Kalimba is tuned to B.
The rosewood is heavy, so this is a larger, heavier model than most others on this list. It also does not have etched tines, but it includes stickers you can place on the tines, instead.
The LingTing Kalimba also includes a kalimba tuning hammer and kalimba bag.
This Kalimba is high quality, a great Kalimba for the money.
Firewood Kalimba 17 Keys Thumb Piano
Number of Keys/rods: 17 Key
Resonator material: Mahogany Wood
Board or Box Resonator?: Box Resonator
Chromatic Scale/Tone: Standard C tuning
Our Review:
These low priced 17 key kalimbas are great for beginners. They are resonant with long lasting sound, and eacy to hold.
This model is tuned to the key of C and has a pleasant, uplifting and even nostalgic tone.
This Firewood 17 key Kalimba is made from mahogany wood, known to be pest resistant, while also being lightweight. It has a beautiful color pattern, is easy to hold and play for long periods of time, and will last a lifetime.
The Firewood Kalimba is one of the most affordable kalimbas for beginners and it includes a kalimba book of songs for those new to this instrument. It would make a great kalimba for kids.
It’s a great value and would make a treasured gift for the beginner Kalimba player.
GECKO Mini Kalimba Thumb Piano 8 Key
Number of Keys/rods: 8 Key
Resonator material: Camphor wood
Board or Box Resonator?: Board resonator
Chromatic Scale/Tone: International C tune
Our Review:
This Beautiful Moozica 8 key kalimba has high quality tines with the note etched right in. Really a touch of class!
It includes a sturdy case and a kalimba tuning hammer, as most do.
This kalimba is small and portable, and its size makes it a great kalimba for kids smaller hands. With just 8 keys, it is much easier for little ones to learn simple tunes quickly.
This mini kalimba fits in the palm of your hand yet despite the size, it sounds wonderful, all notes sound loud and clear, even the highest notes resonate beautifully.
This 8 key Moozica kalimba is an excellent kalimba for beginners, it is unique and has several features others simply don’t have.
Thumb Piano, Mbira & Kalimba Buyers Guide & FAQs
How many keys should a Kalimba for beginners have?
The most common number of keys for the Best Kalimba for beginners is 17.
Now there is certainly a lot of variety when it comes to the number of keys a Kalimba has, and there are even double layered keys on Chromatic Kalimbas.
However…
17 keys is the most common.
Why is this useful?
For starters there are more learning resources for 17 key Kalimbas. There are more Kalimba song books and sheet music available for 17 key Kalimbas.
I suggest you also look for a Kalimba tuned to C, because it is a standard common key with a familiar sound. The C Key has the most tablature (eg Kalimba Sheet music and Kalimba song books) available.
Bottom line, A 17 Key Kalimba tuned to C, like the GECKO Kalimba 17 Key Thumb Piano is best for beginners.Should a Beginner Kalimba player choose a Kalimba with a box or board resonator?
There is a tradeoff between box style and board style resonators. Box style resonators are LOUDER than board style resonators EXCEPT on the end notes (the keys on either side).
Board style resonators are quieter compared to box style but a Kalimba with a board style resonator is more even along all tines, including the tines on the end (at either side).
I think it’s a personal preference of the musician, but I prefer the board style Kalimba due to consistency.What are the best Kalimbas for glissando?
All Kalimbas are capable of Glissando, a continuous slide upward or downward between two notes.
Glissando basically plays several successive notes at nearly the same time by sliding your thumb over them. .
This Piranha Plant’s Lullaby, Super Mario 64 – Kalimba Cover shows a pleasant example of glissando.How far apart should the tines be?
Standard Tine spacing on a Kalimba is between 7 to 9 mm. This makes it each to hit each tine individually while still being able to glissando (slide) over several notes at a time.
If you can, find a Kalimba with 9mm spacing is the easier for beginners. But it is not an absolute requirement for Novice Kalimba players as even a beginner can easily adjust to 7mm tine spacing.What are the best Kalimba Brands on Amazon?
The Best Kalimba Brands of Amazon are Hugh Tracy, Chill Angels, Moozica Kalimbas, SEEDS Kalimbas, Gecko Kalimbas, Hokema Newlam,
XINQIDIAN and Ling Ting Kalimbas.What is a Chromatic Kalimba?
SEEDS, Chill Angels Ling Ting and MOOZICA make the best Chromatic Kalimbas.
Many Kalimbas have just one row of tines. If you think about it in terms of a traditional piano, this would be like having just the white keys of the piano. This is fine for most, and you can play many songs using just those keys.
However…
A CHROMATIC Kalimba has two rows of tines. This can be compared to a piano with both white and black keys. It increases you range, gives you two octaves, and greatly expands what you can play on your Kalimba.What are the best microphones for recording kalimba music?
A stick on or clip on pickup might be a good choice to record your Kalimba music because they pick up less background noise than other types of mics.
I recommend a clip on pickup mic. This Audio-Technica PRO 35 Cardioid Condenser Clip-on Instrument Microphone is a good choice to record Kalimba music.
I’d recommend a pick up and go mixer pro to record the music from the Best Kalimba for beginners.Where can I get Kalimba Sheet Music?
There are many free resources if you search the web on how to use a Kalimba, and there are MANY books available to learn songs for to play on your new Kalimba.
If you want to buy a Kalimba Song book Find Kalimba Song Books Here.
There is also a free Google Drive resource here filled with Kalimba Sheet Music.
This concludes the 10 Best Kalimba for beginners, I hope you find one that resonates with you.
I leave you here, at the end, my fellow travelers.
May your journey be filled with light and love and beautiful music!
Until we meet again!
Katie Lyn
PS. If you love enchanting music as much as I do I think you will fall in love with the siren song of the handpan. Learn more about the captivating handpan here.
Also, another easy to learn, yet enchanting wind instrument is the ocarina. If you are interested in Ocarinas see my hot list here of the best ocarinas for beginners.
If you are looking for a magical way to get in touch with nature, psychedelic mushrooms are one way to break the veil. If you are interested, I can show you a super easy way to grow your own journey making mushrooms here.
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Miss Katie Lyn
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Katie Lyn
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