The Kalimba, or thumb piano, originates in Africa. It is also known as the mbira or likembe. Metal keys are mounted on a wooden box that acts as the resonating chamber. To play the kalimba, hold the thumb piano between the palms of both hands. Several reeds or tines are plucked with the thumb or fingers, and the reed vibrations are amplified by a hollow box resonator or a sounding board. The thumb piano may be tuned to your personal preference. The longer keys have lower pitches and shorter keys have higher pitches. The keys can be adjusted by tapping them in or out to adjust their length, and therefore their pitch.