Alto and Treble Kalimbas

Alto Kalimbas (And Treble Kalimbas based on the Alto Concept)

The 15-note Hugh Tracey Alto Kalimba has long been our best seller. It is simple to comprehend, with exactly two octaves, usually in the key of G, with a strictly-alternating Right-Left note layout. This is the canonical form of the kalimba, and there are about a dozen different books that will work for the Alto. If you want to play folk, pop, rock, classical, Christmas music, hymns, African American spirituals, and even traditional African music, this kalimba type is your best bet with hundreds of songs notated in tablature and tens of thousands of songs possible.

Also, the Bb Treble and D Treble are 17-note kalimbas that adhere to the 15-note alto concept, and so can play from the Alto books, but they have two extra notes, either above the two full octaves (for the Bb Treble) or below the two full octaves (for the D Treble).

The Hugh Tracey Chromatic kalimbas, with the chromatic tines on the back, also fall into this category.

The Goshen 15-note kalimba is an economical option that can play all the music the Alto plays.