"Keyboard" Kalimbas Comparison: B15, B17 + B17-Mini by Hokema
Just in time for Autumn, watch this short video full of Fall Vibes in which we compare and contrast 3 similar instruments we refer to as the "Keyboard Kalimbas": the B15, B17, and B17-Mini kalimbas by Hokema.
B17 Kalimba:
- 17 metal tines
- Comes tuned to C-Major (may be re-tuned to alternate scales)
- Wide wood block with tines farther apart making it easy to play melodies and chords
B17-Mini Kalimba:
-
17 metal tines - Comes tuned to C-Major (may be re-tuned to alternate scales)
- Smaller wood block makes it easier to hold for smaller hands
- Tines are closer together so easy and fun to play glissandos (notes that glide up or down blending the tones into each other) by running the thumbs rapidly up or down multiple tines
- For larger hands and fingers it's harder to play exact chords and melodies as tines are closer to one another
- 15 metal tines
- Comes tuned to G-Major (may be re-tuned to alternate scales)
- Two rows with thicker tines on the bottom which produce pleasing grounding lower tones
- The two rows make it easy to play lovely chord combinations
Watch and listen to this short video demonstration:
Though not an official instrument category by Hokema Kalimbas, we refer to these instruments as "Keyboard Kalimbas" as they contain full diatonic musical scales with notes in order going up the scale much like the way musical notes go up and down scales as laid out on a keyboard of a piano.
Diatonic scales contain 7 notes in a series of intervals including five whole steps and two half-steps. The major diatonic scale contains the familiar notes one can sing with do-re-mi-fa-so-la-ti- then circling back again to "do". These notes then repeat over again as the notes continue to go up. That means our kalimbas with 17 tines have enough notes to go up this sequence 2.5 times, and the 15-tine instrument repeats twice (+1 extra note at the top.)
However unlike a piano or electric keyboard where the notes climb from low to higher building left to right, on these kalimbas the lowest note of the scale is located at the bottom center of the instrument, and the scale is played by the thumbs alternating plucking the tines right-left-right-left-right...etc. (or left-right-left right... for left-handers).
This allows for triads (groups of 3 notes that are harmonious with one another) to be right next to each other, making it super easy to play chords. Thus, the "keyboard kalimbas" are designed to be musical instruments where you can play both melodies and chords to create or accompany songs.
For musicians, these are truly musical instruments that can be used to play repertoire and/or write new compositions, play with other instrumentalists, and play while singing. Playing kalimba in this way does require a certain degree of musical knowledge, and practice is needed to be able to play sequences.
For more intuitive-playing of instruments - which means playing as you feel without practice or worrying about "wrong notes" - we would recommend instead of the keyboard kalimbas easier to play are the kalimbas and Sansulas from our Elemental Soundscapes collection. (Elemental Soundscapes are collections of instruments made to match each other with limited notes so that anything you play is harmonious. These make them much easier to play, but limit the choices such that songs and chord changes aren't possible the way they are with the "keyboard kalimbas".)
In this video you can get a quick overview of each instrument, hear what they sound like, and understand the differences between these 3 models.
Shop Keyboard Kalimbas by Hokema below:
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Works well. Delighted to have the ability to tune my Sansula myself.
We Play well together has been a resource for instruments for, at least, 5 years. The quality of the instruments, customer service, kindness and expertise of the staff has been a huge bonus and blessing in our interactions. I am grateful for their service, friendliness and flexibility. thank you so very much VLamura
These mallets are super fun to use and I love the sounds they create. I purchased a pair of each set of mallets and I love them all so much, I'm planning on keeping the pair I thought I would send back originally.
I have a set and love these so much. They are well made, and the sound is solid and carries well in small and large spaces. Highly recommend!
Wonderful instrument. It’s easy to travel with and well crafted. Customer service is wonderful as well. Very responsive. I am always impressed with the attention to customer service and care of the instruments. This instruments complement my crystal singing bowls and monalina nicely.
My G Monolina is perfect! Beautiful to play in a group, as well as on the body.
Absolutely in love, but should have ordered the bag! Ordering it now as it is was too fragile to travel with without the bag.
The instrument brigs such an amazing quality and super easy to play
I recently purchased a D Monolina. Meditative and meditative; a full immersion sound experience that simply wraps you in a beautiful feeling and sound. What an incredible instrument this is! I highly recommend purchasing one, or more, for meditation, relaxation, or sound baths.
This set elevates one’s instruments to the next level. Having all these components really sets one up for success and allows room for growth to grow into your sound practice.
The versatility that comes with having the leg extensions allows the player to be comfortable in a variety of ways while playing. The mallets add additional ways to play.
Tuning is a breeze with the template. When not being played or on the go with this monolina, the mats keep everything safe and the backpack makes it so you can take it to the studio or out into nature to play.
I can’t say enough great things about it, it’s a must have in the sound tool kit for sure.
The floor model sale price feels too good to be true for such a fabulous instrument. So easy to create varied, beautiful sounds. This is the 3rd instrument I've purchased from WPWT and they're always efficient, friendly and helpful.
My first experience with a Hokema Kalimba was at the gift shop of the Music Instrument Museum in Phoenix, AZ. I was blown away by the big, beautiful sound of those instruments, but I wasn’t ready to plunk down $200 for it.
Fast forward, I read about the Twin Kalimba and was encouraged by a review that suggested it was great for events. This particular person, evidently a musician like me, gave out ten of these during his shows and was thrilled by how the audience members enjoyed the experience.
So, given these two experiences, I had high hopes for the twin.
It is a sweet sounding instrument, but the sound is very quiet. The wood is solid so it doesn’t resonate like its higher priced solo cousins (that feature a resonator) or traditional kalimbas that have found holes.
So, I’m a little underwhelmed by the sound, but it’s still a great concept. Perhaps it will be fine and dandy when I share it with audiences. Let’s see!
Joule is an excellent teacher! Her lessons flow from topic to exercises with so much ease and class time is so enjoyable. Joule makes sure everyone's questions are answered before going to the next lesson. Before this training, I had no idea of all the many different ways to play the monochord. After this course, I now have so much more knowledge and I'm able to tap into my creativity with a deeper love and appreciation with this beautiful instrument.
I love the "water" collection and this chime is one of my favourite instruments (so far!). The D minor tuning is said to be the "saddest" key, but I find it soothing, ethereal, and utterly charming. The gentle tones of this chime bring gentle, meditative tones. Do yourself a favour if you can and get the matching Koshi chime. They sound absolutely amazing together!
Thank you for sending me the Hokema Sansula Deluxe. I am enjoying the unique sound as I relate it to similarly designed instruments in parts of Africa. It creates a beautiful sound world with which you can improvise and expand infinitely. I will be using the small ones for my gatherings. It's a beautiful instrument and as I explore and improvise with it, I'm sure I will find something new that I will want to share with you. - Kevin Nathaniel
Wonderful, perfect to play on top and bring my sansula basic everywhere!
It’s my first Kalimba and I absolutely love how it sounds, such a magical instrument
Never got the delivery
Hi Dimitri ,
It looks like the tracking information indicates your package was delivered to your mailbox. Could you check to see if perhaps a neighbor might have picked it up by mistake?
If you still can't locate it, no worries at all—just let us know, and please provide a secure shipping address where we can resend your item.
Looking forward to resolving this for you!
Warm regards,
Gabriele
This is a very beautiful chime that I can play with my Aqua Zenko Element (432Hz), Aqua Tinka Tong (432Hz), & my Aqua Hokema B5 Kalimba (432Hz) with a little help from my friends. Of course, I can mix & match the chimes with other elemental instruments & be amazed by the way that the sounds blend perfectly.
This is my favorite chime that I play before bed for a more restful sleep. I have noticed a little hum with beautiful overtones & undertones when moved around in a circular motion that I particularly enjoy. I can play this with my beloved Terra Tinka Tong or my beautiful Hokema B5 Terra Kalimba.
This is a lovely chime that I play with either my Hokema Terra B5 Kalimba or my Ignis Tinka Tong. The great thing about these chimes is that they sound great mixing & matching them with other instruments from WPWT.
I play these chimes for self care before bed for a more restful sleep.
This Kalimba is pleasing to the eye because of the cut & quality of the cherry wood. The size is perfect for small hands such as mine. I particularly love the Terra Tuning & fell instantly in love with this Kalimba that reminds me of a music box when played.
I also received the Aqua B5 Hokema Kalimba which is equally as beautiful as the Terra.
The Aqua Kalimba completes my Aqua Elemental Soundscape bundle. I cannot say how much I have loved jamming with my set.
This B5 Kalimba may be small, but its sound output is excellent & the tone is perfect. The B5 Kalimba can also be paired with the matching Koshi Chime & easily played. I think that I prefer the size of the B5 Kalimba & would highly recommend it for sound & ease of play.
Thanks & best wishes to the WPWT team.
All that I can say is that I love my Koshi Chimes. Each Elemental Chime is unique & complete in its own light tinkling playful sound & becomes even more beautiful in the complexity of two chimes paired together. I particularly enjoy the calming quality of Aqua & Aria. I also like the joyfulness & energy of Ignis & Terra as they are played together. I bought the Koshi Chimes because they were highly recommended for their durability & because they never go out of tune. I also like the earthiness of the color of bamboo. One day I might like to pair Koshi Chimes with a pop of color from matching Zaphir Chimes.
Now let me throw in the beauty of the B5 Hokema Kalimbas - Terra & Aqua as they are paired with their companion Koshi Chimes. I have small hands & can easily hold & play the B5 Kalimba as I am holding the chime of the same tone in the other hand. This is indeed as lovely as the Elemental Soundscape video.
I like to play the Koshi Chimes before I go to bed as it helps to empty my mind, offer relaxation & sounder sleep.
My thanks again to the WPWT team for providing yet another pleasant experience as I keep adding to my ever growing collection of musical instruments.
The packages arrived in a timely manner and packaged with care. The instrument had the richest tone and a divine frequency, I look forward to using this for sound journeys.