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Do you think this is worth getting?

All Acting Regiment

23:26 / 26.09.05

"Ekalimbas"

It's a site that sells electric kalimbas: the "Thumb piano" from Africa. I've got an occasion coming up soon where people might buy me things. Hmm. Anyone, uh, play the Electric Kalimba? They look nice and I've got an amp and FX and stuff. What do you think?

I found it on Oddmusic, which Wire magazine told me to look and is actually great. You can get some really mind bending samples of unique and rare instruments.

All Acting Regiment

23:31 / 26.09.05

lekvar

23:43 / 26.09.05

My brother plays one he made, a real high-quality pice of work. The tone is fabulous, all manner of rich over- under- and sub-tones. They aren't, as I understand it, tuned chromatically as a piano or a guitar is, so playing with other musicians can be tricky.

Something else to think about/look into is how it's been "electrified." My guess is that it has a piezo mic inside. These can be prone to feeding back quite badly if you're too near the amplifier when you play.

All Acting Regiment

23:52 / 26.09.05

Hmm. I think it uses guitar style pickups, but that's something to consider.

Chiropteran

01:12 / 27.09.05

Get it for sure, as long as you honestly think you're going to play it.

If you have any doubt remaining, listen to Konono no.1 and doubt no more.

lekvar

01:16 / 27.09.05

Have you ever played an acoustic kalimba? If you haven't, I'd recommend that you hunt one down and play with it for a bit. If i's your thing, get the electric one and hook it up to a delay or a wah-wah. If the acoustic one fails to resonate with you, an electric one will just do the same, only louder..

Quantum

10:08 / 27.09.05

such a cool noise it makes...

Mon Oncle Ignatius

10:09 / 27.09.05

Having played a tiny acoustic kalimba recently, I would imagine an electric one would be even lovlier. Get it!

The Return Of Rothkoid

23:45 / 27.09.05

I'm in raptures at the thought of a phased kalimba.

quixote

18:29 / 28.09.05

I had one of those way back in the day, so it was non-electronic. It went plinkerty-plonk. (I wasn't too musical.) I loved it. An electronic one would be a great way to deal with neighbors playing stupid music, if you directed the speakers judiciously.

mondo a-go-go

13:42 / 29.09.05

I think an acoustic kalimba already sounds like an electronic instrument. Why mess with something already so perfect? :]

Chiropteran

13:50 / 29.09.05

To make it louder, Anna.

Like this. Konono no.1, everybody.

Char Aina

13:55 / 29.09.05

i would love to hear a kalimba played with a wah pedal, for one.
and then maybe through a talk box, if thats doable.
if you stillhave some cash left over, you might buy an octaver pedal too.
polyphonic funk craziness on an instrument outta africa?
shit,yeah.

oh, and i second the phaser recommendation.

Quantum

13:57 / 29.09.05

i would love to hear a kalimba played with a wah pedal, for one. and then maybe through a talk box

...on Acid...

Char Aina

14:03 / 29.09.05

shit, yeah.
lets do it!
maybe we could get that guy that busks in the lanes in brighton sometimes to play bass for us.

Quantum

14:04 / 29.09.05

Sweet, he's got a mate with another one. All we need's some acid..

grant

18:25 / 29.09.05

erm, I think toksik may have been referring to the multitrack looping software.

Or maybe I'm just THAT far out of it these days.....

Seth

04:19 / 30.09.05

Buy it. I've been playing an acoustic one for the last few weeks. I really want my own one now.

lekvar

05:20 / 30.09.05

erm, I think toksik may have been referring to the multitrack looping software.
Man, I hope not...
*roots around for old tiedye shirt*

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