Fancy building a chromatic kalimba? Take a look at these instruments for ideas!
With that in mind, a number of kalimba players decided to take things into their own hands. Quite literally in fact, by building their very own chromatic kalimbas. Some are dual-sided, while many more are dual layered chromatic kalimbas that are very unique from the ones available for purchase.
While the idea may seem both exciting and daunting, enthusiasts considering to self-build a chromatic kalimba should definitely plan their project well.
Here is a self-survey before you decide if a DIY kalimba project is worth trying out
- Do you have experience working with wood
- Ever tried building a DIY kalimba kit before?
- Are you adept at using a tool kit?
- If not, is there someone or a workshop that can be of assistance?
- Are you musically knowledgeable enough when it comes to tuning the keys?
- Would you rather just buy a chromatic kalimba?
If the questions above inspired or deterred you in any way, no worries. You can still enjoy watching these self-made instruments made by kalimba hobbyists.
The double-layer chromatic kalimba is the most preferred layout when it comes to chromatic kalimbas as it offers easy playing and allows for multiple styles or methods of playing a key. Each one is very unique and all produce beautiful music when played.
An alternate method is the front and back sided chromatic kalimba. The design features the basic diatonic 17/21 key kalimba on the front with sharps and flats at the back. All in all, they are very cleverly designed, and beautiful pieces indeed. Have a look at these chromatic kalimbas below.
1. Kalimba Om - 34 Keys
Truc Nguyen who hosts this channel has crafted multiple DIY chromatic kalimbas (besides owning a variety of others). A generous being, she has also added process videos which may be helpful for anyone who wants to give DIY a try. It is fairly obvious that a lot of effort has been put into designing and re-designing the models, so do watch till the very end.
- Process and sound - 40 Keys + Music Cover
- Process and sound - 17 Keys + Music Cover + Music Cover on 21 Keys
- Process and sound - 34 Keys
2. Kalimba Alice - 29 Keys
As you will immediately notice, there is a slightly different arrangement style where the top row has a total of 12 keys to make it chromatic while the lower row holds the basic diatonic set of 17 keys. For those of you wondering if this was made perfect in the very first try, let it be known that it took a second attempt to make it right. Got to love a musician who will go the extra mile to play an instrument they love!
3. Rosegray - 34 Keys
This particular chromatic kalimba was made by Youtuber Mr. Kalimba who is known for his brilliant DIY kalimba making skills. Do check out his chromatic kalimba process video to know more about how he works on his kalimbas and feel free to ask him any related questions in the comments as he is very forthcoming and encourages curiosity.
4. Nampingping - 34 Keys
If you pay close attention to the rounded edges of the board used for this kalimba, you'll find that it makes it esthetically pleasing and is likely quite soothing to hold while playing. Additionally, the tine arrangement makes it quite easy to play as well.
5. wiinnngg - 42 Keys
The resonance of the tines on this chromatic kalimba is especially noteworthy and has a tine arrangement that offers ease of use. As with other chromatic kalimbas, the lower row follows the C major scale and the top row is tuned to make it a chromatic.
If you enjoyed watching these, do mention your favourite DIY chromatic kalimba in the comments below and whether this feels like a fun idea for a DIY project.
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