A thumb piano that fits in your browser.
Seventeen steel tines tuned to C major, from middle C up to the E two octaves above. The lowest tine sits in the middle and the notes alternate outwards left and right — exactly like a real kalimba, so anything you learn here works on the real thing.
Reading kalimba tabs
Kalimba music is usually written with numbers: 1 is C, 2 is D, up to 7 for B. A dot above a number means the octave above, two dots the octave above that. Turn on number labels to see them on every tine.
On a computer, the bottom letter row plays the low octave, the middle row the second and Q W E the top three notes.
More instruments
Every instrument works the same way: play with touch, mouse or keyboard, full screen on any device.
Questions
How many keys does this kalimba have?
It has 17 tines tuned to the C major scale, from C4 (middle C) to E6 — the most common kalimba layout.
Why is the lowest note in the middle?
That's how kalimbas are built: the longest tine is in the centre and the scale alternates outwards, so each thumb plays every other note and melodies flow from hand to hand.
Can I play kalimba tabs here?
Yes. Choose the 1 2 3 labels to show the numbers used in kalimba tabs, with dots for the higher octaves, and play along with any tab you find.