The kalimba is an African musical instrument with a wooden soundboard and metal keys. The 17-key kalimba that we are making at Byla Instruments is an instrument that originates from African ethnic groups in Southern Africa. In the classification of musical instruments the kalimba is in the category of lamellophones or plucked idiophones (Hornbostel-Sachs system).

Kalimba is one of the names used for this 17-key African lamellophone. Other language varieties are mibra,thumb piano, calimba, colimba and Karimba. Karimba translates to “little wooden xylophone” and Nyunga nyunga translates to “something little that causes fun trouble”…

There are Variations of the kalimba in the current market. There are can be 8keys, 10 keys, 17 keys, 21keys, 34 keys ect. The 17keys and 21keys are the most popular type at the moment.

8keys kalimba

10keys kalimba

17keys kalimba

21keys kalimba