How To Play The Kalimba With Short Fingernails (Yes It's Possible)

I was a little concerned that I'd have to grow out my thumbnails just to play the kalimba. I was delighted to learn that it's only optional. Playing with your thumbnails is a different sound as is playing with the pads of your thumbs.
You may find yourself perfectly happy with playing with the pads of your thumbs instead of thumbnails so you don't have to necessarily grow them out.
If you'd like to learn to play the Kalimba, check out my mini course here on KZbin: • How To Play the Kalimb...
Here is the video I mentioned of using the guitar picks on your thumbs:
• Metal finger pick VS F...

[@thepotterhead31]

Tysm for showing us this! im getting a kalimba soon and i was worried i wont be able to play it

[@SoundAdventurer]

you're welcome! good luck to you!

[@Sticks800]

same i natuarly have tiny fingernails

[@carolynrowse1048]

Thank you. I have to keep my nails short to prevent myself from scratching my eczema to pieces, so I was glad to have this video.

[@lilacKurage]

You're a life saver! I was looking for this exact problem 😅 Btw your monthly challenge is amazing! I wish you the best!

[@SoundAdventurer]

Thank you so much, Andrea! Glad you found the video helpful. Good luck!

[@monbi4430]

While I was playing the Kalimba, my thumb was sore for at least 3 months so I had to take a break so thank god I watched this.

[@SoundAdventurer]

Glad it worked for you. :)

[@evaporatedmilkee6263]

Thank for this, I'm getting a kalimba this Saturday and I was worried about having no nails at all. Even if I grow them out, they are still short, and I thought it would be impossible for me to play! Thank you again!

[@SoundAdventurer]

You're so welcome! I felt pretty lucky since I've never had nails but I still get to enjoy this beautiful instrument! I'm excited for your new Kalimba this week. Good luck on your journey

[@diego411s]

My mom hates when my fingernails are too long, now what i do is what you did in 4:06. It hurts for fingers, but now i know its possible. Your a true life saver!

[@SoundAdventurer]

Great to hear! 😊

[@hymnal_0276]

The real dilemma playing strings and kalimba

[@SoundAdventurer]

Haha... Exactly.

[@earthtominiryu]

right? i have a ukulele and i'm planning on getting a kalimba so i don't even know-

[@Nova03333]

I play guitar and uke and I’m getting one

[@daisy1439]

Yea I play violin

[@guitarfox8316]

I’m a blues noise rock guitarist and I always chew my nails to help anxiety I guess

[@AestheticWannabe]

*I bite my nails-*

[@SoundAdventurer]

You know, I used to as well. I chipped my tooth once while doing so and I haven't since then. Anyway, I still like to keep 'em short

[@Astor-_-]

​@@SoundAdventurer😬

[@marylim9568]

So kind of you to share your advice. I was hesitating to get kalimba but I like the sounds n don't want to hurt my thumbs.

[@gwynmarie713]

Thank you so much! I'm honestly the type who likes to keep my nails short and I recently started to learn kalimba. After applying your technique I can play clearer notes without hurting my fingers! This is a good technique to use while growing out your nails^^

[@SoundAdventurer]

Thank you so much for your comment! :-) I'm glad to hear it worked for you. May your playing bring you joy.

[@user-fh9bm5lq5z]

This was so helpful!

[@JMAvil4]

Thank you so much! For making this video because i got a kalimba as a gift from my dad and i keep bitting my nails so Thank You! 😄

[@SarahMJordan]

Greetings from a fellow multi- instrument player! Thanks for the tip. You saved my thumb 😎

[@SaddestSocks]

Thank you for this video! It was very helpful! I’ll definitely check out you other videos. If you plan on releasing more, i suggest you film in a place with more light in it, as it was kinda hard to see what you were doing. Thanks again!

[@SoundAdventurer]

Thank you so much for your kind words! You're totally right about the lighting--I've got some ideas on what I can try. I appreciate the feedback.

[@tiffanyharris7489]

This video is very helpful..thank-you!

[@Cat-qo3ht]

Thank you, very informative😊👌

[@GingerByrn1]

Thanks! This was really helpful.

[@SoundAdventurer]

You're very welcome! :)

[@Ira.1]

I have trouble doing the glissando with short nails 🥺 Could you please show the techniques for doing the glissando with short nails?

[@resnawaya]

holy crap this helped a lot!, man all this days I've been damaging my own (already short) nails lol, thank you!

[@SoundAdventurer]

You're so welcome! Glad it's helping. Thank you for your comment. :)

[@nightcore7978]

Thanks its really helpful!

[@SoundAdventurer]

Glad it helped! You're very welcome. :)

[@user-kf4lo1ho3w]

omg thank you so much my nails are short and that video gave me hope...I'm getting kalimba soon and thanks for tips😇

[@SoundAdventurer]

Excited for you! Good luck! :)

[@pocoyoanime7534]

Thx for the help

[@jhelmalditako]

Thanks for this video. 😊

[@SoundAdventurer]

You're very welcome. :)

[@conniemartin9150]

Thank you. Key point for me was when you said to hold the kalimba so your thumbs are coming up above the tines. I was holding it too low. I am having a problem with a good clear sound from the tines….getting a rattle sometimes, but hopefully this technique will help.

[@huzaifashahzad3713]

Thanks alot great tip

[@SoundAdventurer]

Thanks very much!

[@alohaparadisegirls1686]

I want a kalimba but I have to keep my nails short for violin and piano so thank you!

[@munchermeow]

Me I'm just 13 years old and I used to play kalimba and also my hands are kinda small so i layed it down on flat surface too and uses my index finger

[@MinYoongi-ko6vy]

Hi can you tell me how to fix stiff keys in my kalimba

[@kiyo4029]

Thank you so much! You were very helpful with your tips, especially about the guitar picks. I felt the pain when you talked about getting jabbed in the flesh, yikes. 😆

[@SoundAdventurer]

You're so welcome!

[@StarBoundAngel]

Perfect. My left thumb splits down the middle no matter what, so it’s very painful to use.

[@ven._._.]

i did this but i noticed after a bit of doing it it started to hurt im not sure if im doing it right,

[@atan755]

I also have finger guards but I'm not comfortable using them, i dunno why the sound is just get so low, btw thx those tips r realy helpfull

[@SoundAdventurer]

Glad I could help :)

[@tessaflanagan]

This technique is so much more comfortable, but how do you play glissandi?

[@kikiloorose7741]

The tip of my right thumb nail broke off, but I kept playing anyway. After a while it started hurting, and now my thumb is bruised, making it extremely painful to play. I have to use a finger pick until it grows out :/ Sucks that I didnt find this sooner, but at least Ill know what to do in the future!

[@SoundAdventurer]

Oof... that sounds so awful! It's amazing how painful a finger/thumb injury can be. Hope your thumb feels better, soon, and good luck with your playing.

[@whyDude123]

Another best way Download keylimba 😂 Btw , nice video

[@minavane5533]

You played the monolith burger song from Space Quest! I would love to know how to do that.

[@SoundAdventurer]

~27k views and you are the first person to notice! :D You're my hero. One of these days I should write out the notes... I kind of just plucked it out.

[@minavane5533]

@@SoundAdventurer You should! Write it out and post it on here. Im surprised that I'm the only one who noticed. Maybe others have they just didn't mention it.

[@MiauMichigan]

Oh, boy! I've bruised my thumbs so many times. I find long nails too uncomfortable. I'll try using alaska picks

[@naylfzh5741]

thanks! My nails has never grown at all so it's useless to wait for them to grow😭😭

[@SoundAdventurer]

Yeah, even if I could let my nails get long it would drive me crazy. Glad to hear it was helpful for you! :)

[@aneeshanam2256]

❤ i did that and my nail chipped and my nail is shorter than yours can i use silicon thumb??

[@SoundAdventurer]

it's worth a shot! :)

[@CC-fy2gf]

Do you thumb nails get filed down from playing so much? Mine keeps getting shorter every time I practice. Any advice?

[@SoundAdventurer]

Hmm, I haven't had that issue but my thumbnails are very short. You could try some of these finger protectors if it's causing an issue: www.amazon.com/SUNLP-Fingertip-Protectors-Acoustic-Instruments/dp/B07T35RQKX/ If possible, try using the pad of your thumb just under your thumbnail and slide away from the tine rather than pushing directly downward on the tine. Hope that helps! I appreciate your comment

[@BruceWayne-qp2yg]

Give them rest to regrow

[@daviddragonmountain]

thx:))

[@SoundAdventurer]

You're very welcome. Good luck on your playing! :)

[@ilikedadjokeseveryonesarew7010]

My fingernails grow at different speeds and are weirdly shaped. I had planned on clipping them but I didn't want to bruise my finger's. I got discouraged on learning how to play at first but not anymore, Tysm.

[@SoundAdventurer]

totally welcome :)

[@kyliesouthwick5904]

My nails were long but I cut them without thinking right before a kalmia performance 🤦

[@alittleimagination9023]

I just cut my nails the other day because of gardening and now I'm struggling to play my kalimba. I have thumb protectors, but idk how to use them. Lol.

[@SoundAdventurer]

it is tough to get used to the thumb protectors. as near as I can tell you use the pad of the thumb protector to push against the tine. I have very short fingernails, and I have the most success pushing the edge of my thumbnail directly against and down the ramp of the kalimba tine. I show that in the video, have you tried that, yet? you've got this! :)

[@alittleimagination9023]

@@SoundAdventurer Yes I have tried. But I hear a lot of "clicking" and the higher notes don't make much sound. I was just trying to get better sound. I had cut my nails very short. They don't yet reach the end of my fingers. So I was trying to find a way to play without my nails. I'll just have to keep trying to find what works for me.

[@SoundAdventurer]

@@alittleimagination9023 I have that same problem with the higher notes. There are some picks like these ones: www.amazon.com/National-NP1-7W-Thumb-Finger-Pick/dp/B00O51AA4Q that have a much sharper sound--but you can put glue on the bottom edge to kind of dull the sharpness if you want. Good luck!

[@stranger6221]

what about glissando ?

[@Ira.1]

Not to stereotype, but you've got pretty good nails for a guy 🤭 Thanks for this tutorial! Subscribed!

[@illysinlove]

400th like!

[@4bsyarCH]

Im scared with the position between flesh and nails.

[@shaneee_z]

Ohh my wrong, My kalimba just arrived, I test it if it is in tune.. Then i don't have long nails so I use my thumb instead.. I plucked it hard, So I got Blisters.

[@SoundAdventurer]

Oh no! :( :( :(

[@7h268]

You can also put fake nails on thumbs when playing kalimba.

[@SoundAdventurer]

good idea!

[@thundercat9427]

And I came here After I destroyed the tips of my fingers :)