5 Reasons Why the Kalimba is a College Essential
If you’re stuck inside with nothing but schoolwork, jobs, or other stressors, the kalimba is here to provide you with a cheap and easy distraction.
Written by Grayson Patteson
Illustrated by Vildan Karaca
The kalimba is a type of African thumb piano, usually made of wood with metal keys that you flick with your finger to play notes. It’s a part of the mbira family of instruments, which is traditional to the Shona people of Zimbabwe. This group of instruments gained popularity in the 1980s with the rise and success of the musician Thomas Mapfumo, and the kalimba in particular has had a big rise in popularity since the mid 2010s with the help of YouTube videos covering popular songs on kalimbas. Now that we’re about halfway through this semester, investing in a kalimba will help boost your mood and save you from stress that comes with your school routine.
Bank Accounts Love It
Photo courtesy of Grayson Patteson
Sometimes, it can be difficult to buy any instrument — depending on what you’re interested in — because of their price. Anything other than a recorder, the occasional ukulele, or a thrifted keyboard can be anywhere from $50 to upwards of a few thousand dollars (definitely not pocket change). A kalimba, though, can be as cheap as $10 to order online — much more ideal if you’re on a college student budget. Plus, there are tons of different colors, shapes, and styles to choose from.
It’s Great For Beginners
The standard kalimba only has about 17 keys on it, and you just need your thumbs to play it, so it’s really easy to get the hang of. If you want to just mess around with it, or if you want to try making your own songs, all it takes is an hour to have a good tune in progress because of its simple instrumentation. Plus, if you want to learn one of your favorite songs, there are tons of different, easy-to-follow tutorials on YouTube.
It Has a Pleasant Sound
You’d think that an inexpensive instrument that’s the monetary equivalent of a 20 piece chicken nugget wouldn’t sound amazing, but the kalimba is a really beautiful instrument. It’s a bit like a xylophone, but a little different in pitch and clearly very different in size. Though there are smaller xylophones, most usually have a larger range of notes due to them having more keys. In addition to that, xylophone keys can also be made of different materials such as wood, so they can have a less brassy sound to them. If you’ve played “Minecraft,” then the sound of a kalimba might be familiar to you, as artist C418 used the instrument alongside synthesizers and samples from the Ableton Live software to create the iconic (and famously soothing) “Minecraft” soundtrack.
It’s Dorm Friendly
Photo courtesy of Ukunili Ukelele
If you’re living on or near campus this year, or if you have before, then you might be aware of the small inconveniences that come with having an instrument while living in a dorm. Whether it be the size or the volume of the instrument, having one while living in a dorm isn’t very ideal. But that’s where the kalimba is different — it’s handheld, so it isn’t a great struggle to move around or store in your dorm room. In addition, it’s not very loud, and it’s really easy to control its volume based on how hard you press the metal keys. So if you have a roommate that prefers no noise, or if your dorm is having quiet hours, the kalimba is quiet enough for you to enjoy while not causing any distractions to sleeping neighbors.
It’s a Calming Stress Reliever
The peaceful sounds of a kalimba are the perfect way to calm your mind when you need some peace. With everything going on these days, from COVID-19 to the upcoming election, on top of the normal stresses of school work, having a job, or whatever else you’re dealing with, it’s normal to find yourself feeling upset or overwhelmed. It might not solve all of your problems, but taking a break from your work and pulling out a kalimba for just 20 minutes is a really great way to calm yourself down and take your mind off of whatever may be bothering you.
It may not solve all of your problems, but having a kalimba is incredibly helpful if you’re having a bad day or just want to have some relaxing tunes to fill a quiet dorm room. Musician or not, with their affordability and low-level difficulty, the kalimba is a true essential for any college student.