How to choose a thumb piano for beginners?

How to choose a thumb piano for beginners? Many of my friends may not be familiar with this musical instrument, and many would like to learn it. However, there are still many confusions about how to choose a good Kalimba. Today, the editor of this article will give you a comprehensive explanation. Let’s take a look at how to choose the Kalimba thumb piano and which one is most suitable for novices!

What are the types of finger piano and thumb piano? How to choose?

At present, the Kalimba masters on the market are divided into box type or board type. As the name suggests, the box type is a hollow resonance box, and the board type means that the entire piano box is a solid wooden board. These two different forms of piano play different timbres. Relatively speaking, because the box piano has a piano box, the sound produced when the key is plucked resonates strongly, and the fingers move around the tremolo hole, which can produce " "Wua wua" vibrato, the playing skills will be more diverse. However, because the panel piano has no box, the resonance will be weaker, and it can't play the "Wah" effect. If you need to increase the volume, you need to place it in or on the resonance box. There is no box-like convenience to operate.

Plate type thumb piano finger piano (left) Box type thumb piano finger piano (right)
For beginners, of the two types, the box piano will be a better choice. The box piano is also the mainstream on the market because of its better sound effect. Plate pianos only provide a variety of shapes in some cases, and they want non-mainstream anti-crystal acrylic material Kalimba.

What are the materials of Kalimba? Which is better for novices?

The carlimba is mainly composed of two parts: the case and the keys. The keys are made of mineral metal. There is no big difference between the brands. There is no need to consider too much in the material. The main thing to consider is the material of the case. For novice friends, there are a dazzling array of Kalimba piano case materials on the market. Which material is more suitable? According to the editor, the thumb pianos currently on the market are mainly made of wood, and there are a few other non-mainstream materials like acrylic. Mahogany, Acacia, Rosewood, and Walnut are the main types of wood.

Kalimba thumb pianos of different materials
These different materials have different timbres. Among these materials, rosewood has a sweet and melodious tone, walnut carlimba is warm and soft, acacia thumb piano is crisp and bright, and mahogany finger piano is warm and full. The price varies according to the material, and the prices from low to high are mahogany, acacia, walnut, and rosewood. For novices, which one to choose can actually be chosen according to their own preferences. Before buying, you can listen to the tonal characteristics of different materials and make a choice, and you can also choose the shape you like by the way.

What is the difference between 17 tone and 20 tone? Which is suitable for novices?

Many novices often ask about the number of keys of the Kalimba. The most frequently asked question is the difference between the 17-note and the 20-note. In fact, in addition to the 17-note and the 20-note, the Kalimba also has 8-tone, 10-tone and 15-tone. of. The tone here actually refers to the number of keys, and the 17 tone refers to the 17 keys of the thumb piano. So how do you choose these keys?

For beginners, 8-tone, 10-tone and 15-tone can play simple small songs, or sing, but the range is relatively narrow. The 20-note is generally a double-layered keyboard, which can be difficult to play. It is not for beginners and is suitable for playing some difficult pieces. If you want to play more complicated tunes, it is recommended to buy 17-tone. The common brands on the market are also based on 17-tone. This number of keys takes into account the convenience of playing and a wider range, which is very suitable for novices.


17-tone Kalimba
In fact, for novices, in addition to the number of keys, the key selection also needs to consider some craftsmanship of the keys. For novices, getting started is a very important point. Considering this factor, many brands will send some key note stickers when they buy a piano. The stickers will make it easier to play against Kalimba notation.

But in fact, stickers have many drawbacks. First, the thumb piano keys are relatively small. It will be more troublesome to compare stickers one by one. Second, long-term use of stickers is easy to wear, degumming, and later maintenance is more troublesome, so it is more recommended for novices to buy Just choose a Kalimba with notes engraved on the keys, which will be more practical. Among the mainstream musical instrument brands currently on the market,

In addition, there are many technical flaws in the production of carlimba keys on the market, which is reflected in the common occurrence of new piano noise in mainstream carlimba brand pianos. The reason for this situation is that the shrapnel used by most manufacturers is flat shrapnel, and the contact area between the pressing piece and the shrapnel is large, which easily causes the pressing and dislocation between the pressing piece and the shrapnel to occur frequently.

If you want the pressing piece and the shrapnel to fit completely, and the pressing firmly to solve the noise situation, it is necessary to have a suitable arc between the shrapnel and the pressing piece.

For novices, after understanding the above aspects, it is not difficult to easily choose the right finger piano, so friends who want to buy a suitable carlimba must take a good look at this article. After reading the comparison and making a selection, you will surely choose the thumb piano you are satisfied with!

You can click on following picture to know more about the kalimbas.