Karimba Tunings offered by Kalimba Magic
The 17-Note Hugh Tracey Karimba can be tuned to a wide variety of tunings, and can even be rearranged into
a Lotus, Air, or Freygish karimba. This page focuses on the karimba tunings that are related to the body of
traditional African karimba songs. The African tuning shown here has 3rd, 6th and 7th intervals (C#, F# and
G#) that are tuned in between major and minor western intervals. If you want the African experience, try the
African tuning. If your ear needs the western intervals, or if you are playing with guitar, piano, or other western
tuned instruments, try the A major, A minor, or even G major or G minor tunings.
When you put an A major karimba and an A minor karimba in the hands of traditional players, they say the major tuning is closer to their preferred tuning. Indeed, if you play any of the traditional songs, they will sound just
fine on the A Western or G Western tunings, but most will sound odd on the minor tunings. On the other hand,
the minor tunings are great for peaceful new-age music.
Learn more about the karimba at:
www.kalimbamagic.com/karimba
Learn about tuning your karimba at:
www.kalimbamagic.com/tuning
A African Tuning
Notes, and cents flat (-) or sharp (+)
A
G#
-40 F#
-20 E
C#
0
B
-40 -20
A
A Western Tuning - A major
0
D
-40
5
E
4
D
6
F#
5
E
3
C# 1
A
7
6
G#
F#
F# -40
E -20
8
G
7 6
F# E 5
D
3 2
B A 1
G
5
D
4
C
3
B
5
D
1
G
6
E
6
E
0
A
0
7G
3C
7 8
G# A
The numbers above the
note names indicate the
“degree of the scale” - that
is, 1 is “Do” the root note;
2 is “Re” the second note
of the scale; 3 is “Mi” the
third, and 3- is a minor
third, halfway between
“Re” and “Mi”.
G Western Tuning - G major
Works with Alto, Treble
7
F#
7 8
F# G
A Minor Tuning
Works with C major
G# A
0
C#
8
A
G#
F# -40
-20
0
+20
0
7 6
G# F# 5
E
3 2
C# B 1
A
E
8
A
6F
2
B
5
E
5
E
4
D
1
A
6F
5
E
3C
7G
6F
7G
8
A
1
A
G Minor Tuning
works with Bb Treble, Lotus Karimba
7F
6Eb 5
D
3- 2
Bb A 1
G
8
G
5
D
4
C
3Bb 1
G
5
D
76F
Eb
76- F
Eb
8
G