Mbira tuning..?

kime_

New member
Found this the other day, was wondering if anyone has come across the scale/tuning it uses before and if they have any information on it. Couldn't find much myself but assume because of the solid build of the instrument that it is meant to be played with this particular scale.

Picture8.png


The three lower pitches imply a pentatonic scale, but the higher pitches are much more vague and could be perceived as microtones apart when played together in succession. Playing it in this way makes me think of tuned percussion in Gamelan ensembles - but the mbira is traditionally from east Africa!

Maybe I'm looking too far into it. Just curious.

On another note, how hard do people think it would be to rig it up with a small pickup, like in the music of Konono N˚1?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b2ZaPNR_I04

Jack.
 

Krummhorn

Administrator
Staff member
ADMINISTRATOR
Hello Jack ...

Found this bit on Wikipedia on the Mbira.
It had several known names, one being the 'thumb piano', as in this YT video:
[YOUTUBE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tRkDX00uQqk[/YOUTUBE]
 
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