Kalimba with Digital Delay

[MsChristianv8]

Donde consigo los flejes de metal????

[frank00nixon]

from 2:40 it reminds me of austra - "hate crime" ;)

nice video, btw!

[uns3en]

omg live IDM :)

[kanemurasims]

nice music style!!!

[hotwaterspa]

Mark, Thanks for the inspiration. I am new to the kalimba and appreciate tour tutorials. I built my own kalimba with internal amp, speaker and distorted circuit you may find amusing. I just posted the video( my first). H3ot

[SoniasUsername]

Beautiful! The more videos I watch the more enamored I become with this instrument.

[PitchBlackGuitarMan]

Hey get a humbucker :)) lol

Great video !

[joshech3]

do you have mp3s of your music?

[mediabench]

I have that effects unit. haha

[sparkanotherowl23]

I presume you have to pay extra for the pickup installed? or is it as standard?

[sparkanotherowl23]

@sparkanotherowl23 forget this question I'v checked out your website :)

[kalimbamagic]

The pickups are installed at the shop in Africa, and that adds $13 - $21 to the retail price. -Mark

[ihaveaverybadcold]

dude that is so freakin awesome

[fvxLaRage]

i dont understand how anyone can dislike this video..

[RediForKing]

lol where you playing one by metallica in begining?

[lycrest15]

i want one!

[lycrest15]

thats simply heavenly.

[veguixor]

WOW

[UltraNinjaMafiaMan]

nice vibrato ... oh wait

[HollyDeluxe]

echo effect, nice song. damn good.

[zeroEDJE]

dud that sound cool



[zeelasonitus]

Any links to what pick-up etc you are using?

Thanks!

[kalimbamagic]

This is the pickup that they install at the workshop in Africa - the standard pickup for the Hugh Tracey kalimba. -Mark

[SONGSTICKS]

Hello,

Very nice... I reckon you'd get some nice sounds feeding it all through a Boss slicer pedal too !! The didge sounds awesome through a slicer pedal.

So I take it this Kalimba came with a pick-up already mounted in it, Is it a piezo pick-up?

[changdae11]

is this the pick up? the little machine?

[kalimbamagic]

The pickup is mounted inside the kalimba, and is attached to a jack (not seen in the photo - it comes out of the foot of the kalimba just out of screen. I plug a guitar cord into the kalimba, and then into this digital effects device, which alters the electronic sound by adding the echos. One more guitar cord takes the signal from the effects box to the amplifier which makes it loud.  -Mark

[bSNP1996]

do you ship to The Netherlands?

[kalimbamagic]

I do, but look up Stigglebout, they are in the NL and you should see first if they have what you want. -Mark

[ikevans79]

eerie and yet soothing! Awesome tune!

[TheFunFerret]

Hi :) Just one more question.. Im getting myself a chromatic Kalimba and it also has a pick up. Now, I dont know much about pickups & these machines you have right there. What would I need(/buy) to get this same effect? What kind of pick-up(s)? And what kind of machine? Because the Digitech RP220 isnt for sale over here.

[kalimbamagic]

There are DOZENS of digital effects processors on the market - go to KalimbaMagic on the Internet, on the far right column is the list of newsletter articles - look at the Electric Kalimba one, Bernard recommends the LINE 6 Floor Pod (I am not an expert, my RP220 died after 2 years). Without an effects processor, the sound is loud but dry. Of course, you also need an amplifier. -M

[MatthewCarsonRhodes]

Hello

I am looking for a small Electric Kalimba/Mbira to mount on a guitar... I saw something on ebay a guy had made a while back but now its gone.. it was a small box with some small gears that a guy was rolling his fingers over..each had a unique pitch... would you happen to know what that was

Thanks you

[pumpkingoth]

is yours tuned to G? it sounds like it... good job btw... really cool sounding

[kalimbamagic]

Yes, it is G, standard tuning.

[fizzboypop]

what kind of digital delay is that? or where can i find 1?

[kalimbamagic]

That would be the Digitech RP220 - which I used until it died - I need to get a replacement and will be looking for a different model. -Mark

[fizzboypop121]

what cheap models would u recommend for that can do that same thing?

[kalimbamagic]

Cheap effects units? I haven't a clue (sorry!)

[ChaseWatkins]

Is that some promenade I hear at 1:30 ?

[kalimbamagic]

It does sort of sound like Pictures at an Exhibition - it was an improvisation, so its gotta come from SOMEWHERE!

[fizzboypop]

dude....i cant even think of anything 2 say......that was insayn! awesome job 12/5 stars lol

[chainsawchips]

Mark. Dude. When someone says "you're all thumbs.", they mean that in a good way!

[ediotsavant]

thats is amasing, I have a handsonic 15 and I can play similar stuff on it. After adding the delay it sounds even better.

[kalimbamagic]

At least in this way of using delay, the delay accounts for more than half the notes that get played. -M

[rasmus1001able]

Dude. I love this stuff. Is there anything recorded, available as mp3 or sumthin like that?

I need more of this!

[kalimbamagic]

Sorry, when I record, I use acoustic kalimbas and microphones. I guess this is a vote for something more electronic!

 -Mark

[zake66613]

it's just digitech guitar peddle with built in sounds fx, the model number is on the peddle itself, i'm sure he just hooked a mic up so it as a pick up.

[kalimbamagic]

Actually, the kalimba has a built-in pickup - look at time = 0:07 - you can see the guitar chord sticking out of the kalimba. The kalimbas with pickups run a bit over $100, and I make my living (meager as it is right now) by selling kalimbas and writing instructional books for them. -Mark

[a0e0roberts]

Hey there, Mark. Has anyone tried installing an electric guitar-style pickup on a kalimba? The piezo pickup I have is cool, but just doesn't get the highest notes (farthest away from the center) as well. Hah, is the world READY for a humbucker kalimba? I'll have another look at your newsletter.

Roland mobile cube amp has a built-in deley, I'll take my Tracy over and have a look.

[kalimbamagic]

Alan, yes I have seen kalimbas with electric guitar pickups, but have never held one and never heard one. There will be a link to one in the next newsletter - a 6 noter I think. -M

[avesonsky2]

man this is pretty gnarly. Where did you get your equipment and how much was it?

[a0e0roberts]

Hey, Mark! I've been having fun with that Alto w pickup you sent me. What king of FX processor are you using here?

[kalimbamagic]

That was a Digitech RP220 - it died after about 200 - 400 hours of use, I cannot give a strong recommendation for it - I need to go get a replacement. -Mark

[csselement]

You need a drummer, dude. That'd sound amazing.

[DaNiKaLiMBa]

Very very good, Mark!!!

Excellent!

Now I want a Digital Delay to play like this!!!

:D

Gratitude and Love,

Daniel

[rinocerosee]

Your music is beautiful. I listen to your videos on YT at least once a week, but I wish I could download the music and bring it with me wherever I go. Have you recorded anything? This song is my favorite, shared with "First look inside". Absolutely brilliant! Thank you so much!

[SpaceAndrew]

This is beautiful...I've just recently been watching kalimba videos, considering buying one. Trying to decide between this and an accordion. Maybe I'll just get both! I had no idea these instruments even existed until today...Wow. Do you know of anyplace I could get lessons from? How did you learn?

[kalimbamagic]

Andrew, Accordion is more flexible in what it can do, but is also a LOT harder to play physically (ie, it is work, I tell you). I taught myself how to play kalimba, but now I have written many books on playing kalimba - search for "kalimba books" and you'll find me right away. -Mark

[myguedes]

gostaria de comprar um assim como de tutoriais das sobre a estrutura e notas do instrumento, voce teria como me passar links onde eu encontraria estas informaçoes?

[cjy290]

yeah i know that you would need the spaced, im building my own kalimba right now, and would one of those porthole pickups?

and im wondering it there is a possibility that you could hardwire an acoustic/electric guitar, that has those built in tuners and stuff

[cjy290]

what type of pickup do you use? and is it possible to just use a normal guitar pickup, i got a bunch of those

or do you use like a pre-amp mic from an acoustic/electric guitar?

[kalimbamagic]

The pickup is installed at the workshop in South Africa - it is decent, definitely worth the $12-$20 it adds to the price of the instrument. There is a HotShot pickup designed for kalimba, they are under $30. An acoustic guitar transducer type pickup should work. An electric guitar pickup will be difficult to make work (you need a coil under each tine). -M

[Bluto42]

sweet!

[papateacup]

do you think somebody would have to know how to play the piano in order to play on your level?

[kalimbamagic]

I don't really play piano very well - this is a totally different instrument. Many piano players get freaked by the kalimba because it is arranged so differently from a piano. I think the main thing I've got going is that I've been playing for 23 years.

[papateacup]

haha, yea i can see where that can help someone out. Where would be the best place to buy one?

[kalimbamagic]

Where to buy a digital delay? Guitar Center or your local guitar shop. Kalimba? Search for "Kalimba Magic" on the web and you'll find my internet store. -Mark

[papateacup]

thanks dude

[hankyknot]

What is the make and model of digital delay you are using here and does anyone have any experience of, or know if it is possible to, distort and amplify using a quality laptop or PC?

[kalimbamagic]

I am using the digitech RP200 here, but it

died a few months ago. You can do this with a laptop - I'm not sure how. The important thing for DIGITAL DELAY is that you keep the tempo constant (or if not, that you vary it in a right way - as at 1:22) - an easy way to do that is to have the effects processed in real time. On the computer, you can do the effects in real time or after the fact. Good luck! -M

[arde83]

it could suoun magical! but i thinc that in video lose the harmonics. i want to listen you directly!

love

[TheKarmaPolice113]

wow, this is great. i think you've sold me on a kalimba!

[Swarfleey]

This is really amazing. My favorite part is that melody that you start at 2:23

[kalimbamagic]

Thank you

My favorite part starts at 2:39 - though

2:23 is the start of it. This song deserves good speakers (I am listening on laptop - arg!).

[barsattacks]

this is awesome...well done

[AnandMohan]

Ah, I should also mention that this is a pretty sounding tune.

[kalimbamagic]

Thank you - it is an improvisation.

Another element of THIS particular piece that may be confusing the issue is the 0.640 second digital delay - ie, whenever I put out a note, it comes back 0.64 seconds later - so I work to make those notes echoed fit in between the notes that I play, or harmonize with the notes that I play. BUT sometimes they don't work quite so well. -M

[AnandMohan]

I notice that the shorter tines on your kalimba are really clear sounding. I have a Hugh Tracey too, but the short tines sound pretty muddy because they cause the adjacent tines to vibrate in sympathy. Is there a way to counter this? I like to think I purchased a good kalimba, but I don't know what the problem is.

[kalimbamagic]

Many issues. First, on THIS video, the low notes sound bad on my laptop speakers, but when I plug in my Cambridge Soundwork speakers, the low notes sound great.

Second: try this - record any note on the kalimba and take the power spectrum (with Audacity), and you will see that adjacent tines are also excited. Because adjacent notes always harmonize with the Hugh Tracey note layout, it doesn't matter - it sounds great.  This happens for low notes as well as high notes.