The Historical past and Craftsmanship from the Thumb Piano

by Manuel Marino | Audio

An African instrument, the Thumb Piano, is closely associated with the Kalimba. It is also referred to by alternative names such as the Mbira or Likembe. While they all have a similar appearance, they naturally produce different sounds. These instruments have been around for thousands of years. Initially, the keys were made of bamboo, but over time, they were replaced with metal keys. In the early 1900s, the thumb piano came to be known as the Kalimba.

In ancient times, it was believed that the thumb piano (Mbira, Kalimba) projected its sound into heaven and was even thought to attract spirits to the earthly realm. Some of these spirits were believed to be malevolent, and the music would stop until the spirits had left the area. Now, let’s explore the craftsmanship of the piano.

The piano is made of rosewood, and its soundboard is constructed from spruce. It is available in various tunings. On the back of the instrument, there are two vibrato holes, and the player can alter the sound by moving their fingers over or through these holes.

Typically, the piano is played solo, and the tuning is not as crucial as when playing with another musician. However, …

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