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Songs / Kalimba by numbers #20

Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring — easy kalimba tab

J. S. Bach, Cantata BWV 147 (1723) · 17-key kalimba in C · 63 notes · a little longer

Origin
J. S. Bach, Cantata BWV 147 (1723)
Kalimba
17-key C
Notes
63
Words
Numbers only (words not shown)
Range
dotted notes, up to two dots
Tempo
70 bpm, then 144 bpm

▶ Watch the video, then play line 1.

Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring kalimba tab

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

Line 1: 1 high L(hold 1)2 high R(hold 1)3 high L(hold 1)5 high L(hold 1)4 high R(hold 1)4 high R(hold 1)6 high R(hold 1)5 high L(hold 1)5 high L(hold 1)1 two octaves up R(hold 1)
Line 2: 7 high L(hold 1)1 two octaves up R(hold 1)5 high L(hold 1)3 high L(hold 1)1 high L(hold 1)2 high R(hold 1)3 high L(hold 1)4 high R(hold 1)5 high L(hold 1)6 high R(hold 1)
Line 3: 5 high L(hold 1)4 high R(hold 1)3 high L(hold 1)2 high R(hold 1)3 high L(hold 1)1 high L(hold 1)7 R(hold 1)1 high L(hold 1)2 high R(hold 1)5 R(hold 1)
Line 4: 7 R(hold 1)2 high R(hold 1)4 high R(hold 1)3 high L(hold 1)2 high R(hold 1)3 high L(hold 1)1 high L(hold 1)2 high R(hold 1)3 high L(hold 1)5 high L(hold 1)
Line 5: 4 high R(hold 1)4 high R(hold 1)6 high R(hold 1)5 high L(hold 1)5 high L(hold 1)1 two octaves up R(hold 1)7 high L(hold 1)1 two octaves up R(hold 1)5 high L(hold 1)3 high L(hold 1)
Line 6: 1 high L(hold 1)2 high R(hold 1)3 high L(hold 1)6 high R(hold 1)5 high L(hold 1)4 high R(hold 1)3 high L(hold 1)2 high R(hold 1)1 high L(hold 1)5 R(hold 1)
Line 7: 1 high L(hold 1)7 R(hold 1)1 high L(hold 3)
– hold an eighth○ rest an eighth• dot above = octave upL / R = thumb
Printable PDF
The tab as plain text 
1̇– 2̇– 3̇– 5̇– 4̇– 4̇– 6̇– 5̇– 5̇– 1̈–

7̇– 1̈– 5̇– 3̇– 1̇– 2̇– 3̇– 4̇– 5̇– 6̇–

5̇– 4̇– 3̇– 2̇– 3̇– 1̇– 7– 1̇– 2̇– 5–

7– 2̇– 4̇– 3̇– 2̇– 3̇– 1̇– 2̇– 3̇– 5̇–

4̇– 4̇– 6̇– 5̇– 5̇– 1̈– 7̇– 1̈– 5̇– 3̇–

1̇– 2̇– 3̇– 6̇– 5̇– 4̇– 3̇– 2̇– 1̇– 5–

1̇– 7– 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 Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring 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 (144 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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