Kalimbanumero
Songs / Kalimba by numbers #9

Can-Can — easy kalimba tab

Offenbach, Orpheus in the Underworld (1858) · 17-key kalimba in C · 48 notes · a little longer

Origin
Offenbach, Orpheus in the Underworld (1858)
Kalimba
17-key C
Notes
48
Words
Numbers only (words not shown)
Range
dotted notes, up to two dots
Tempo
70 bpm, then 100 bpm

▶ Watch the video, then play line 1.

Can-Can kalimba tab

Read left to right, one line at a time. The number is the tine; L or R is the thumb.

Line 1: 5 R(hold 1)1 high L(hold 3)2 high R4 high R3 high L2 high R5 high L(hold 1)5 high L(hold 1)5 high L6 high R
Line 2: 3 high L4 high R2 high R(hold 1)2 high R(hold 1)2 high R4 high R3 high L2 high R1 high L1 two octaves up R
Line 3: 7 high L6 high R5 high L4 high R3 high L2 high R1 high L(hold 3)
Line 4: 2 high R4 high R3 high L2 high R5 high L(hold 1)5 high L(hold 1)5 high L6 high R3 high L4 high R
Line 5: 2 high R(hold 1)2 high R(hold 1)2 high R4 high R3 high L2 high R1 high L5 high L2 high R3 high L
Line 6: 1 high L(hold 1)
– hold an eighth○ rest an eighth• dot above = octave upL / R = thumb
Printable PDF
The tab as plain text 
5– 1̇––– 2̇ 4̇ 3̇ 2̇ 5̇– 5̇– 5̇ 6̇

3̇ 4̇ 2̇– 2̇– 2̇ 4̇ 3̇ 2̇ 1̇ 1̈

7̇ 6̇ 5̇ 4̇ 3̇ 2̇ 1̇–––

2̇ 4̇ 3̇ 2̇ 5̇– 5̇– 5̇ 6̇ 3̇ 4̇

2̇– 2̇– 2̇ 4̇ 3̇ 2̇ 1̇ 5̇ 2̇ 3̇

1̇–

The tines you need

The 17 tines from left to right, as you look at your kalimba. The ones this song does not use are dimmed.

← left thumbright thumb →

How to play Can-Can on kalimba

Watch the video once: it plays the tune slowly (70 beats a minute) with each number falling onto its tine, then at tempo (100 beats a minute). Then play the first line alone until it sounds right, and add a line at a time. Hum the tune as you go: it tells you the rhythm. New to the numbers? How to read kalimba numbers.

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