Only 1 left (Updated Feb 3rd 2022)
- Brand: Chill Angels
- Series: CLASSIC
- Kalimba Materials: African Padauk Wood (Reddish-Brown Variety) and Premium Steel.
- Weight: 670 to 700g
- 'Vibrato Box' Hollowed Wood Dimensions: 183x130x29mm
- Soundholes: There are 3 soundholes on the hollow Vibrato Box. A larger soundhole is located in the front of the Vibrato Box and two smaller soundholes are located on the back. You can use your thumb or fingers to achieve a vibrato effect in a way similar to the vibraphone, by covering and uncovering the soundholes in a pulsating rhythm.
- These soundholes are the result of countless tests to achieve:
- the most comfortable hole shape
- the most effective hole size for the vibrato effect
- the best position on the wood to yield the vibrato effect in the mid-range of the notes, while being ergonomic to your hands and wrists
- An important part about double layered Kalimbas is that the space between the top and the bottom layer has to be ergonomical, to prevent hand and wrist injury for musicians who practice for long hours.
- When the height and distance between the top and bottom layer is too close, it gives you the perception that you make mistakes easily.
- If the height between the top and bottom layer is too far, it strains your thumbs.
- When the distance between the top and bottom layer is too far, it can strain your wrists.
- The height and the distance between the top and bottom layer of keys for CLASSIC are the results of countless tests and adjustments, to ensure comfort even with hours of practice.
- Four raised tines, bent to perfection, create a "third layer" which makes a huge improvement in musical performance.
- The visual difference helps your eyes identify different bass notes easily
- The height differences give your thumbs enough space to play accurately at fast speeds.
- Your Kalimba Order comes with:
- 1 Sturdy Box "Luggage" with Tuning Reference printed inside
- Stickers (number notation)
- 1 Tuning Hammer
- 1 Tuning Pliers
- 2 Thumb Protectors
- 1 Instrument Wipe-cloth
- 1 Black Drawstring Fabric Bag (Dust-cover)
- 1 Grey Instrument Case (Impact Protection)
- Instrument Case details:
- The case is made with EVA (Ethylene-vinyl acetate) that is BPA free and does not contain chlorides, heavy metals, phenols, latex and other toxic substances. It is "rubber-like" in flexibility and resistant to stress cracks, perfect for impact absorption.
- The case is water-resistant, but it is not waterproof in the zipper areas.
- Case Dimensions: 235x175x70mm
- Number of Keys: 36. All tuned to different notes with no repeats.
- Range: F3 to F6, Chromatic from F3 to F6 minus one note of your choice.
- Bass notes: Out of 7 notes (F3, F#3, G3, G#3, A3, A#3 and B3), one would be left out because there are 37 notes in 3 octaves and CLASSIC has 36 tines.
- You are free to arrange the 6 bass notes according to the needs of your musical masterpiece.
- Layout designer Seren Koo offers three tuning options for bass.
- Tuning 1 would leave out G#3
- Tuning 2 would leave out F#3
- Tuning 3 would leave out A#3
- You only need to tap two tines to change from Tuning 1 to 2, and again tap only two tines to change from Tuning 2 to 3.
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All three tuning options will still result in notes in spaces to be on the left, and notes on lines to be on the right. This allows you to look at any staff notation score, and for the majority of the time, know whether a note is located on the left or on the right side of the Kalimba.
- Above Middle C: Full chromatic scale arranged like the piano with white keys at the bottom layer and pentatonic black keys at the top layer.
- Bonus: Customers can receive the Chill Angels 36 Key Chromatic Kalimba PDF guidebook (English only) via email, to help you get past the beginner stage quickly.
- Layout Copyright: Seren Koo. All rights reserved. Once you have learned CLASSIC's layout, you will be able to transfer your playing skills to all other Chill Angels Kalimba layouts (24/25/34 key) with ease.
Play Your Masterpiece
If Carnegie Hall is your destination, CLASSIC is the luxury 36 Key Kalimba built for you to play your masterpiece.
CLASSIC is made from a reddish-brown variety of African Padauk. From our tests, this wood makes a soundboard that is second to none. CLASSIC also has a beautiful finish, reminiscent of an exquisite violin. The core of each tine (the keys of the Kalimba) is made of Maganese-Alloy-Elastic-Steel with two to three layers of Steel Plating. The result is the balanced crystal sound that Chill Angels is known for.
Although CLASSIC (36 Keys) appears to merely have 2 keys more than ECO (34 Keys), CLASSIC is technically many times more difficult to make due to the care and details required in every component to create it successfully.
Material-wise, the precious wood from Africa, shipping costs, hefty taxes and the low yield are contributing factors that make CLASSIC ten times more costly to manufacture. Less than 20% of the purchased wood would eventually become the CLASSIC Kalimba that passes our strict product quality standards.
We've put together the best to meet customer's needs because some classical music pieces and jazz pieces do require the 36 Key Kalimba to play it, and 34 is not enough. We did not let the costs of research and quality control stop us when creating CLASSIC too.
Hence, CLASSIC has become the dream Kalimba for many musicians.
You can listen to the effects of the front and back soundholes in this original composition.
Maintenance
Dust-Cover: It is recommended that your Kalimba is kept covered in the black thin drawstring cloth bag whenever it is unused, to keep the Kalimba in optimal condition. It prevents the accumulation of dust and dirt while the Kalimba is resting. The Instrument Wipe-cloth can be used to clean any oils or perspiration from the instrument after practice.
Impact-Protection: If the Kalimba is in a place where it may be knocked over by people or pets, place the Kalimba in the grey Instrument Case, so that it is well-cushioned against accidental impact and scratches. Seren has children at home, and she returns her Kalimbas to their Instrument Cases after use every day.
Crush-Protection: In situations where your Kalimba may face harder forces, such as compaction during international travel, more protection can be used. Place the "f-shaped" cardboard pieces between the tine slots. Do not worry about the elasticity of the raised tines. Next, place it into the grey Instrument Case for cushioning, then place it into the "luggage" cardboard box for extra protection against compaction during international travel. Secure it from moving inside the cardboard box, by using the white foam pieces. If the airport/airlines allow it, it is safest to hand carry your Kalimba.
Rust-Protection: You can use WD-40 to provide rust protection for the metal components of your Kalimba. Spray any metal part, and wipe off the excess. WD-40 is not corrosive and will not harm the wood. We use WD-40 when assembling the instrument too.
Thumbnail-Protection: Your nails are now an essential part of your instrument, just like drum sticks for a drummer. Feel free to use the silicone thumb protectors, if you need help reminding yourself not to use your thumbnails in your daily life. Seren wore it until she changed her habits to use her fingernails instead of her thumbnails for daily chores. Remove the protectors when you practice the Kalimba.
Tuning: Your Kalimba has been tuned before sending it to you. If it loses its accuracy, check out 9-year-old Kylie's video for tips on how to tune your Chill Angels Kalimba. Most people are curious about the pliers. The pliers are used to lower the pitch for tines in the bottom layer. It is also used when you need to change tines one day, for any brand of Kalimba.
Related Blog Posts:
(1) Sound Comparison: CLASSIC Vibrato Box versus CLASSIC Flatboard versus ECO (coming soon)
(2) Lessons Learned: How a pre-release of 40 brandless Kalimbas to re-sellers before our launch led to confusion that there is more than one source of our 36 Key Kalimba on the market (coming soon)
