Kalimba

The kalimba, also known as the mbira or thumb piano, is a portable African musical instrument in the lamellophone family. It typically consists of a wooden board or resonator with metal tines mounted on one side. The tines are plucked by the thumbs to produce pitches. The term kalimba is widely used for many modern or Westernized versions, while mbira remains the traditional Shona name for the instrument.

Tines vary in length, thickness, and spacing, creating scales or diatonic ranges. Some designs place the tines over a central bridge; others use a two-row layout. The sound is amplified by the wooden body or by a resonator, such as a gourd. Playing technique centers on alternating thumb movements, with the index fingers occasionally assisting, to produce melodies, riffs, and rhythmic patterns.

Historically, mbira music has been central to social and ceremonial life among the Shona and other groups in southern Africa. In the 20th century, researchers and performers helped introduce the instrument to global audiences, with figures such as Hugh Tracey documenting repertoire and manufacturing kalimbas for Western markets. Today, kalimbas are used in traditional performances, contemporary world music, and educational settings as accessible, polyphonic instruments.

Related instruments include the mbira and other lamellophones; the kalimba is a broad category that also encompasses modern boxed or amplified variants.