Westminster Chimes kalimba tabs
For a 17-key kalimba tuned to C major. 16 notes on 4 tines, from G4 up to E5.
Play along on the online kalimba Play it in G major
Number tab
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 1̇ 3̇ 2̇ 5 1̇ 2̇ 3̇ 1̇ (C5 E5 D5 G4 C5 D5 E5 C5).
- 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 clock chime heard from Big Ben’s tower, first used at Great St Mary’s Church in Cambridge in 1793. This is the full sequence that plays before the hour strikes. The melody is in the public domain.
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