Storytelling on Monolini with Twin Sisters
Twin sisters Hala and Nuha Alaw were our special guests for our "Monochord Monday Meetup" in May of 2025 who joined us live from Nashville.
The sisters share their fascinating personal account of how they came to the US in December 2013 as refugees after escaping violence in Iraq and first fleeing to Syria and then to Jordan before finally landing in Nashville, Tennessee. Their story has a happy ending as they are now US citizens who offer sound journeys they conduct together.
The twins then demonstrate how they play together using Monolini with soft mallets combined with a frame drum, to inspire an inner evocative journey with imagery of thunder and galloping horses! The "gallop" effect is created by using the mallets with a technique called a "flam". In drumming, a flam is a drum accent where a soft, quick grace note Is played just before the main, louder stroke. This creates a thicker, longer-sounding note than a single stroke.
To further inspire you, the sisters read a poem that we've shared below here. As we often share in our monochord trainings and meetup groups, starting with specific imagery and playing with that in mind will help you to create sounds that are more specifically evocative for the listener. Perhaps you can find your own inner imagery here that will lead you to evocative play on the monochord:
Whispers of the Storm
Horses move in morning’s grace,
Soft hooves brushing earth’s embrace.
Mane and tail in rhythm flow,
While skies above are calm and slow.
But then—a whisper in the trees,
The first sharp breath of rising breeze.
Their ears flick back, they lift their heads,
As winds begin to shake the beds
Of leaves and grass and waiting ground—
A storm is coming, thick with sound.
Thunder cracks in wild reply,
A drumbeat rolling through the sky.
The horses surge, but not in fear,
Their pace is fast, their purpose clear.
Through open fields, they glide and race,
Each stride a heartbeat toward a place
Where ancient rocks and shelter wait,
A haven strong against storm’s weight.
The thunder roars, the sky turns black,
Lightning dances down the track.
But safe within their hollowed hill,
The herd stands quiet, strong and still.
And then—the silence starts to mend
The storm that screamed begins to end.
The thunder sighs its final cry,
The wind slows down, then passes by.
A gentle breeze, yet full of might,
Brushes the world in silver light.
And in its hush, the wild things know—
Even power learns to let go.
Hala and Nuha Alaw are 200-hour Registered Yoga Teachers (RYT) originally from Iraq. Their journey to the United States began in 2006 when they fled their home country due to war and terrorism. Alongside their parents, they moved to Syria, where they lived for four years, before relocating to Jordan in 2010 to begin the resettlement process. Facing uncertainty and separation from loved ones, they endured years of anxiety and insecurity before finally arriving in the U.S. as refugees in 2013. They proudly became U.S. citizens in 2019. To learn more about their inspiring journey, check out their story on YouTube here.
Hala and Nuha discovered yoga in 2016 and quickly embraced it as a transformative practice. For Hala, yoga strengthens the connection between mind and body while helping to build and tone muscles. For Nuha, it became a tool to manage anxiety and reduce panic attacks.
Motivated by their own healing journeys, they became yoga instructors to share the benefits of yoga and inspire others to integrate mindfulness and authenticity into their practice.
In 2021, Hala and Nuha completed their 200-hour yoga teacher training and began teaching together as a dynamic duo. They specialize in Power Vinyasa, Yin Yoga, Gentle Yoga, Sound Bath, Chair Yoga, and Trauma-Informed Yoga, offering a range of classes that cater to diverse needs.
Beyond yoga, Nuha works as a Senior Product Analyst at HCA Healthcare, while Hala serves as a Senior Quality Assurance Analyst at Vanderbilt University Medical Center.
Follow Hala and Nuha on Instagram
Blog posts
Explore our Earth (C-Major) Collection
All of our instrument groups: Monochord, Tinka Tongs, Kalimbas & Sansulas, Koshi and Zaphir Chimes are available in this tuning
Explore our Air (A-minor) Collection
All of our instrument groups: Monochord, Tinka Tongs, Kalimbas & Sansulas, Koshi and Zaphir Chimes are available in this tuning
Explore our Water (d-minor) Collection
Learn more about the Instruments of this collection and watch our bautiful videos
Explore our Fire (G-Major) Collection
The products are already available and the videos going to be released Autumn 2025
The tones of this chime are beautiful. I have it hanging where I can walk by and play it often.
The items arrived in a timely fashion. Thanks for a smooth transaction!
the craftsmanship, (and craftswomanship) is incredible, and her sound. so resonant and otherworldly. I'm so happy with my new Monolina in G. I can't wait to play her for my community. Thank you Gabriele for your outstanding customer service.
This has such a lovely sound! I can’t wait to start learning how to play!
A few years ago I became casually interested in the Kalimba because of its simplicity of design and playability. Without experience or a good point of reference I needed to taste a lot of flavors to sort out the choices. For a while, my discards kept the local Goodwill store supplied with inventory.
The feeding frenzy stopped when I discovered Hokema. Build and material quality is professional grade. The tines are not stiff, so you can play at any intensity without stressing a thumb nails. Resonance from the solid wood base and the resulting sustain are simply stunning. Even the high notes sing, unlike the flat 'tapping an aluminum pan' sound from my discards.
I first purchased the B-17, and later the smaller B-17 Mini. Comments above apply to both. There is no problem holding, playing, or carrying around either instrument. The Mini's smaller footprint might be more comfortable for small hands. I just like the smaller package. Because the B-17's wood block is wider, it has more space between the tines. Both instruments appear to use the same tine assembly materials, but the Mini has a shorter cross bar. The Mini's tine spacing is grouped, but they can be adjusted to make the spacing more uniform like the B-17. In that mode, even with the smaller block the tine spacing is noticeably wider than some other Kalimbas I've tried. My thumbs are average width for a 5'8" person and my nails are normally rounded (not pointed), and I have no trouble playing individual notes.
Tablature is available around the net for 17-key Kalimbas (RiffSpot has a nice ebook), so you can play tunes without reading music on both the B-17 and B-17 Mini.
Hokema kalimbas are as nice sounding as any I have ever heard. WPWT provides fast shipping and quick responses to inquires.
Enjoyable to use and very good quality for more percussive techniques.
These chimes are exquisite, and We Play Well Together is a great company to purchase from.
Highly recommended!
I have a Monolina for my Sound Healing practice, but wanted a monilini for myself. I am so happy with my purchase. It is perfect!
I bought a Sansula deluxe at We play well together. The service was exceptionnal and I received it within 4 days. The Sansula's sound is simply magic. So rich and vibrant. It creates an ambiance of it's own.
Really happy and satisfied about this purchase.
I just took the week-long monochord training with Joule and fell in love with my Monolina. Joule is a fun, engaging and knowledgeable teacher who brings deep reverence to her instruments and the art of playing them. We got to experiment with and experience all the different ways of expressing through our monochords and came away with a proven, complete and beautiful 45-minute session we can now offer. I highly recommend this class.
Quick delivery, wonderful company and lovely instrument!
It is always a pleasure to speak to Gabriella and her customer service is top notch
this set is legit sounds like little angels 😇
I am new to the Monolina world but have been around stringed instruments all my life. I'm so excited about its possibilities as a solo instrument for use in Reiki, as well as in an ensemble setting. It helps me to meditate as well.
R
Used Monolina XL Low C We have a full set of crystal bowls, and the low C monochord adds a wonderful depth to their sounding. I also find myself humming/singing over the low C drone in a quite natural way. Very happy with my new instrument.
I've wanted to purchase a Sansula ever since I first heard one, two years ago. I finally purchased one and upon receiving it was disappointed in it's sound. Customer service was extremely helpful and promptly replaced it. Couldn't have been a better experience. I highly recommend the instrument and the company is top notch.
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.