Kalimbanumero
Songs / Kalimba by numbers #14

Sakura Sakura — easy kalimba tab

Traditional Japanese song (published 1888) · 17-key kalimba in C · 50 notes · a little longer

Origin
Traditional Japanese song (published 1888)
Kalimba
17-key C
Notes
50
Words
Numbers only (words not shown)
Range
dotted notes, up to two dots
Tempo
68 bpm, then 90 bpm

▶ Watch the video, then play line 1.

Sakura Sakura kalimba tab

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

Line 1: 6 high R(hold 1)6 high R(hold 1)7 high L(hold 3)6 high R(hold 1)6 high R(hold 1)7 high L(hold 3)6 high R(hold 1)7 high L(hold 1)1 two octaves up R(hold 1)7 high L(hold 1)
Line 2: 6 high R(hold 1)7 high L6 high R4 high R(hold 3)
Line 3: 3 high L(hold 1)1 high L(hold 1)3 high L(hold 1)4 high R(hold 1)3 high L(hold 1)3 high L1 high L7 R(hold 3)
Line 4: 6 high R(hold 1)7 high L(hold 1)1 two octaves up R(hold 1)7 high L(hold 1)6 high R(hold 1)7 high L6 high R4 high R(hold 3)
Line 5: 3 high L(hold 1)1 high L(hold 1)3 high L(hold 1)4 high R(hold 1)3 high L(hold 1)3 high L1 high L7 R(hold 3)
Line 6: 6 high R(hold 1)6 high R(hold 1)7 high L(hold 3)6 high R(hold 1)6 high R(hold 1)7 high L(hold 3)3 high L(hold 1)4 high R(hold 1)7 high L6 high R
Line 7: 4 high R(hold 1)3 high L(hold 3)
– hold an eighth○ rest an eighth• dot above = octave upL / R = thumb
Printable PDF
The tab as plain text 
6̇– 6̇– 7̇––– 6̇– 6̇– 7̇––– 6̇– 7̇– 1̈– 7̇–

6̇– 7̇ 6̇ 4̇–––

3̇– 1̇– 3̇– 4̇– 3̇– 3̇ 1̇ 7–––

6̇– 7̇– 1̈– 7̇– 6̇– 7̇ 6̇ 4̇–––

3̇– 1̇– 3̇– 4̇– 3̇– 3̇ 1̇ 7–––

6̇– 6̇– 7̇––– 6̇– 6̇– 7̇––– 3̇– 4̇– 7̇ 6̇

4̇– 3̇–––

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 Sakura Sakura on kalimba

Watch the video once: it plays the tune slowly (68 beats a minute) with each number falling onto its tine, then at tempo (90 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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