Thumb Piano - Oblong

This thumb piano has a pleasant sound. The tines are plucked by the thumbs and maybe other fingers. The hollow body gives it resonance and volume and the recycled tin attached to the tines, makes it colourful and gives each note a pleasant buzz. (In religious ceremonies, this buzz is considered to honour the ancestral spirits.) The thumb piano is one of the most widely used instruments in all of Africa and is known by many different names such as Mbira, Mbila, Mbira Huru, Mbira Njari, Mbira Nyunga Nyunga, Marimba, Karimba, Kalimba, Likembe, Okeme, and even is represented in the Caribbean as the Marimbula, originating in Cuba and used as the rhythmic bass. Thumb pianos are easy to learn, but hard to master. Size: 20 x 11 cm