Swan Lake Theme Kalimba Tabs (17-Key)

Swan Lake Theme kalimba tabs

For a 17-key kalimba tuned to C major. This tab is the oboe theme that opens Act II: 35 notes on 6 tines, from F4 up to E5.

newellabs.com/play/kalimba/tabs/swan/

Number tab

The number tab read aloud, one sentence per group. “High” stands for one dot above the number and “very high” for two. high 3, 6, 7, high 1, high 2. high 3, high 1, high 3, high 1. high 3, 6, high 1, 6, 4, high 1. 6, high 2, high 1, 7. high 3, 6, 7, high 1, high 2. high 3, high 1, high 3, high 1. high 3, 6, high 1, 6, 4, high 1. 6.

Letter notes

E₅A₄B₄C₅D₅E₅C₅E₅C₅E₅A₄C₅A₄F₄C₅A₄D₅C₅B₄E₅A₄B₄C₅D₅E₅C₅E₅C₅E₅A₄C₅A₄F₄C₅A₄

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 3̇ 6 7 1̇ 2̇ 3̇ 1̇ 3̇ (E5 A4 B4 C5 D5 E5 C5 E5).
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 oboe theme that opens Act II of Tchaikovsky’s ballet Swan Lake, composed in 1875–76. The melody is in the public domain.

About this tab

What it covers. The oboe’s swan theme that opens Act II (No. 10, Scène, bars 2-9).
Key. A minor (the original is in B minor).
Source. Transcribed from Swan Lake, Op. 20, full score, No. 10 “Scène” (pre-1918 Russian engraved edition; IMSLP file mirrored on archive.org), oboe part, pp. 223-224 of the score.