Hokema B17 Mini Kalimba – Same Beautiful Sound, Smaller and Easier to Hold

The B17 Mini has the same set of tines and tuning as the standard B17, but on a smaller wooden body — making it easier to hold for smaller hands. Watch the 2-minute video above to hear the sweet glissandos and see how the chord magnets work.

• 17 tines precisely tuned to C-Major — suitable for playing countless popular songs
• Smaller body than the standard B17 — ideal for children, young adults, and smaller hands
• Tines mounted more closely together for effortless glissandos
• Includes chord magnets to mark and visualize chord positions
• Solid resonant body of American cherrywood, finished with natural oils and waxes
• Ergonomically formed tines for easy thumb playing
• Pairs beautifully with the Intuitive Soundscapes Terra C-Major (Green) collection
• Size: 5.8" x 6.3" x 1.6"

Why the B17 Mini?

This model was specially designed with smaller hands in mind. The B17 Mini is more easily playable for children, young adults, and anyone with a smaller-sized hand.

A key bonus of the Mini is that the metal tines are mounted more closely together, making it easier to play glissandos — a continuous slide upward or downward between two or more notes. Simply run your thumbs in a sweeping motion up or down across the tines to produce this delightful, seamless sound effect.

The B17 Mini has the exact same musical layout and tuning as the larger B17: a beautiful block of American cherrywood with metal tines spanning two and a half octaves of the C-Major diatonic scale. Because chord triads are located adjacent to each other, different chords are easy to see and song accompaniment is quickly learnable. The included chord magnets let you mark the chords you want to play.

Scale & Tuning

C-Major scale: C, D, E, F, G, A, B, C, D, E, F, G, A, B, C

A C-Major scale consists of 7 notes. The B17 Mini has two full sets of C with an octave in between, plus one additional C an octave higher. The kalimba starts with the bottom root note in the middle, then alternates back and forth between left and right sides, building the scale from the inside outward.

Note on notation: In the tablature, the second octave tines are marked with a dot (e.g. 1·, 2·, 3·) and the three highest tines in the third octave are marked with a colon (e.g. 1:, 2:, 3:).

How to Read the Tine Layout

Hokema marks the tines with two visual indicators:

• A single horizontal line on three tines indicates the keynote C — the low, middle, and high C
• A double crossbar indicates the tone B (written as H in German notation)

These markings help you orient yourself quickly while playing across the full range of tines.

Playing the C-Major Scale

Start with the middle, longest tine and pluck it with your right thumb, alternating with your left thumb, working your way outward to the shorter tines. You will hear the C-Major scale played over two and a third octaves. In the tablature, notes for the left hand appear at the top and notes for the right hand at the bottom — the same format used by Conny Sommer in his B17 tutorials.

We include a booklet with your purchase featuring song samples and playing techniques to get you started.

Available Add-Ons (Not Included)

B15/B17 Mini Softbag

• Reinforced with fiberglass for durability
• Fully padded interior for protection
• Adjustable shoulder strap
• Protects your Kalimba perfectly while traveling
• Lightweight and durable