Today I will tell you about this very special HOKEMA model, it is a 15-note kalimba tuned in Sol or G.

While it is most common that 17-key kalimbas are traditionally tuned in Do or C, in this case we have an absolutely different instrument.

This kalimba reminded me of my 20-key Seeds model, because the double layer makes it possible to cross my hands very easily while playing, unlike on a traditional kalimba where it is very clear that each side of the instrument is for the corresponding hand.

This kalimba begins on G3 or Sol on the piano octave 3, in jianpu it is a 5 with a dot below (5.) and reaches up to a G5 or in jianpu a 5 with a point above (. 5) as the highest final note, that is: G3-A3-B3-C4-D4-E4-F4#-G4-A4-B4-C5-D5-E5-F5#-G5
There are two ways to think of this kalimba in order to establish how you will read the scores and number:

1) The first option and the one I recommended, allows you to reuse the 17-key tabs that you already have, and to think of the initial note as 1 and put the number 1 on it like a traditional C kalimba, the lowest note is a Sol which is in the octave 3, which is the same as a G3 or 5. But when we put the 1 there we will think of it as if it were the Do (C), even if it is a actually a Sol (G), it will help us read any sheet music for traditional kalimba in this new kalimba, everything will sound at a lower pitch since we are actually 4 steps lower at G, but the structure will be the same.

Traditional Order:

*1-2-3-4-5-6-7-.1-.2-.3-.4-.5-.6-.7-:1*

2) The second option is to play it with the real notes on the stickers, I recommend this if you have access to tabs made especially for tuning in G, which include an F4# and thus you can use the numbers corresponding to each note, with the stickers starting in order from 5. (5 with a dot below)

Order in G: .5G-.6A-.7B-1C-2D-3E-4F#-5G-6A-7B-.1C-.2D-.3E-.4F#-.5G

Let's suppose you decide to use it like a traditional kalimba starting with the number 1C, like I do in the photo, although it is tuned to G the songs will sound the same if you play the numbers of any arrangement for 17 in C, only lower – and that's the first beautiful feature of this kalimba, precisely a deep and serious sound different to that of the traditional kalimba, which is sometimes very high-pitched and lacks bass sounds for accompaniment.

The next benefit for me is having bass notes, (i.e. the ones in the first row 1-2-3-4-5-6-7), they actually sound like an accompaniment, more similar to what the left hand commonly does on the piano.

The next row is .1-.2-.3-.4-.5-.6-.7-:1, these thinner keys have a beautiful sweet high pitched sound for making melodies, not quite as treble as the typical last ones on a 17-key kalimba, which sometimes can even sound a bit shrill. In this case the sound is sweet and clear, until the last note the sound has presence and excellent sustain.

As for the body of the kalimba, it maintains the quality of the traditional 17-key Hokema wood, a wood which has an excellent sound, in this case it is a kalimba that is lighter than the B17 and more compact, its measurements are 149 x 160 x 41mm. and it weighs 400g.

Personally, I really like being able to cross my hands easily thanks to this double layer of rows, the lower one for bass notes and the upper treble ones for the melody, it is a good option to buy after you have first taken some time to familiarize yourself somewhat with a 17-key kalimba.

Because the reeds are different sizes (first and second row) –and also because they are further apart– you won't always be able to do glissandos like on a 17-key kalimba, you can easily play two keys at once, but three at once only in some cases, which is why it better lends itself to playing accompanying notes of the chord as arpeggios:
note by note.

I feel that this model of kalimba is close to a sansula and to the original African kalimba, at a midpoint between these instruments and the Asian kalimba. Its characteristics allow using the instrument in a more percussive way because it requires the player to raise fingers more when playing, since the reeds are so separate, and this also helps the sound have a different color from that of a 17-key kalimba.

You can buy it at the German Hokema website. Be sure to enter our special code, "@kalimbaclass", it will provide you with 10% discounts on kalimbas and also other musical instruments such as sansulas, handpans, koshi, zenko, and accessories such as bags and tuners.

In the tutorial section of this website you can find scores especially adapted for this kalimba model.

On the HOKEMA website you can get a 10% discount using our code "kalimbaclass" 👉 🔗 HOKEMA website

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Kalimba HOKEMA model B15