Hark! The Herald Angels Sing kalimba tabs
For a 17-key kalimba tuned to C major. This tab is the whole tune: 76 notes on 9 tines, from G4 up to A5.
Play along on the online kalimba Play it on a kalimba in G
newellabs.com/play/kalimba/tabs/hark/
Number tab
The number tab read aloud, one sentence per group. “High” stands for one dot above the number and “very high” for two. 5, high 1, high 1, 7. high 1, high 3, high 3, high 2. high 5, high 5, high 5, high 4. high 3, high 2, high 3. 5, high 1, high 1, 7. high 1, high 3, high 3, high 2. high 5, high 2, high 2, 7. 7, 6, 5. high 5, high 5, high 5, high 1. high 4, high 3, high 3, high 2. high 5, high 5, high 5, high 1. high 4, high 3, high 3, high 2. high 6, high 6, high 6, high 5. high 4, high 3, high 4. high 2, high 3, high 4, high 5, high 1. high 1, high 2, high 3. high 6, high 6, high 6, high 5. high 4, high 3, high 4. high 2, high 3, high 4, high 5, high 1. high 1, high 2, high 1.
Letter notes
Tines you need
The long tine in the middle is 1 (C4). Notes climb outward, alternating left and right, so neighbours on the same side are two steps apart.
How to read this tab
- Numbers are steps of the scale. 1 is C, 2 is D, up to 7 for B. A dot above a number means one octave higher; two dots, two octaves higher. The song starts 5 1̇ 1̇ 7 1̇ 3̇ 3̇ 2̇ (G4 C5 C5 B4 C5 E5 E5 D5).
- Gaps mark bars. Each group is one bar of music. The tab shows which tine to play, not how long to hold it; press Listen on the play-along page to hear the rhythm.
- Other kalimbas. On an 8-, 10- or 21-key kalimba in C the numbers mean the same notes, as long as the tines you need are there.
About the song
The tune comes from a cantata Felix Mendelssohn wrote in 1840. William H. Cummings fitted it to Charles Wesley’s 1739 words in 1855. The melody is in the public domain.
About this tab
- What it covers. Whole tune (one verse with the refrain).
- Key. C major (printed in F major).
- Source. Transcribed from Mutopia Project “Mendelssohn” hymn tune (cyberhymnal transcription), soprano line.
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