How to use a Monolina & Monolini Body Therapy Monochords for Sound Massage
This photo series shows you examples of how to place the "body monochords" - including the Monolini and the Monolina - onto the physical body for a sound massage session.
Because the feeltone Monochords have a convex shape, the instrument is like a boat that floats atop any size or shape body. Placing the monochord on the torso will allow the body to feel the vibrations most intensively. With the body in a supine position, the monochord can be placed horizontally or vertically across the body. We recommend a continuous playing style of strumming with a very light touch. As the sound is felt through the resonance of the wood, playing too robustly can be very invigorating! A gentle way of playing is recommended for most therapeutic applications, to entrain the breath and heart to a rate of calm and ease.
The instruments can also be placed on the lower body, where the sensations are felt up and down the legs and into the pelvis and hips.
With the body in a prone position, the monochord can be placed on the back and played. For some clients this intensifies the vibrations that are felt up and down the spine. Others may find the sensations to be more subtle when played upon the back body. This position can induce a deep state of relaxation.
Certain clients may find it more comfortable to lie upon their side, stretching out the back while the instrument is played whilst leaning up against the body. This can create a feeling of comfort if it's not easeful for them to lie on their stomach.
An incredible experience for many is when they feel the monochord played for the first time on the bottoms of the feet! These vibrations can be so powerful that it's best to offer a single strum played on the feet and then let the sound ring out for a bit (as continuous strumming on the feet may be too stimulating.)
The monochord can also be played on the bottoms of the feet with the client in the prone position by propping the monochord up against the feet on an angle. This positioning allows the sound to travel up the body.
Finally, it's possible to play the monochord therapeutically for oneself! As it's not easy to be both active and passive at the same time, we recommend strumming the instrument on the in-breath, and then taking a moment to relax completely on the out-breath as the sound continues to vibrate. Only when the sound has decayed completely should one actively strum again, and then once again release to relax and receive. This can be a wonderful meditation experience where the instrument becomes like a duet partner.
The Monolina and Monolini monochords are built to the same length but are of a different widths. The Monolini has 21 strings playing a root note, an octave and a fifth, and the Monolina has 34 strings in the same arrangement plus a set of 5 bridges that allow one to create melodic accents.
If you're looking for a versatile monochord that you'd like to play therapeutically as well as musically, the Monolina is the right instrument for you .
Don't know how to start? We put together a handy How to chose a monochord guide for you
If you're mainly using your monochord as a drone to be played on the body for sound massage and are looking for a smaller more portable monochord the Monolini is right for you. (note the Monolinis are the same tuning as the Monolinas - just a smaller size instrument.)
For both sizes of these monochords the A and C tunings are a bit higher and lilting with more audible overtones, whereas the G, F, and D tunings are lower tones with stronger physical vibrations experienced on the body. In this series, the D monochord is the lowest tuned instrument with the the most bass and and an earthy quality.
Our office is in California near San Francisco and we're working with different therapists, musicians, and music stores where you can experience our instruments all over the country.
Don't hesitate to contact us if you have a question.
We have a thriving Monochord community with monthly free Zoom meetups, a content library, and intensive trainings one can attend if you're wanting a deeper dive on how to create overtones with these beautiful instruments.
Looking forward to connect with you and help you find your perfect feeltone Monochord Companion...
Your We Play Well Together Team!
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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.
I was pleased with customer service & by the work ethic that this company has. This is my first kalimba that I have ever owned. It is easy to make pretty little melodies & pairs well with the chime of the same key, but admittedly the kalimba sounds louder & sweeter when held & played so it works better when these instruments are played by 2 people. Overall I was pleased with my purchase.
Customer service was yet again excellent. My question was answered promptly by email. Items were mailed promptly & in excellent condition upon arrival. I purchased my Aria Chime & was thrilled by its beauty & by how easy it was to learn to play. All I need to do is slightly move my arm to emit the best sound. Please do not sling your chimes from side to side as it will sound chaotic. There are instructional videos on Youtube that will teach you how to play your chimes correctly. I did purchase a companion Hokema Kalimba in the same key to play with the Koshi chime. The chimes & kalimba do sound beautiful when played together by 2 people. I personally feel that it would be better for me to play 2 Koshi chimes together as it is easier as my coordination is just so so so. I will be adding more Koshi chimes to my growing collection of musical instruments from WPWT. As always I am pleased with my purchase.
This case makes carrying my monalina so easy and I feel confident that she won’t get damaged.
Easy to set up and very sturdy
The wait is over!!! I am now the proud owner of the Aqua (Blue), Aria (Gold), Terra (Green), & Ignis (Red) Tinka Tongs. I purchased the Aqua first just to test the water, & immediately fell in love with the instrument. I purchased the other 3 Tinka Tongs just as soon as they became available. It adds so much more to the experience to play multiple instruments at once. I line the Tinka Tongs vertically & mainly play 2 at a time. It is fun just to hit random notes & to be amazed at the unique sounds to be made. Every note played is indeed beautiful & harmonious.
The majors & minors do pair well together. The Aqua (D Minor) & the Terra (C Major) pair well together.
The Ignis (G Major) & Aria (A Minor) pair well together.
You are not limited to playing minors & majors together. Both the Terra (C Major) & Ignis (G Major) sound well together- so light & happy.
The instruments are well made & sound amazing.
This is a great company to do business with. Emails are promptly responded to. Orders are mailed via UPS within days. The instruments are exceptionally well packaged & arrive in perfect condition.
I look forward to adding the chimes to my collection in the future- Terra & the Ignis in a few months.
Thanks to the hard working team at WPWT.