1. What is a thumb organ? Thumb Piano, also known as thumb piano is an African instrument, a dial-type sounding instrument that is appropriately prevalent in sub-Saharan Africa. Kalimba,Mbira,Kaffir piano et al. are solo sounding instruments, clearly speaking as a percussion instrument. Kalimba is the Kenyan name for the instrument, while in Zimbabwe it is called the Mbira, Congolese who call it Likembe, and it also has names such as Sanza and Thumb Piano. It is mainly named the thumb organ because it uses the thumb to pull the thin slices on the organ body (mainly wooden, bamboo and made of metal in modern development). 
The Source and Change of the 2. Thumb Organ
The thumb organ is derived from Africa.More than 3,000 years ago, the earliest Kalimba in West Africa was made and used using bamboo or trees.The use of iron bars began appearing in zambezi river valley more than 1,000 years ago. It is heard that the music played by this instrument can not only drive away the evil spirits of the patient, but also pray for rain. Therefore, it is one of the most popular instruments in Zimbabwe. Construction and material of the 3. thumb organ Kalinba was made by fixing metal sheets of various lengths to wooden boards.Adjusting pieces of metal of different lengths is able to tune the tone of the instrument. The longest sheet of metal is generally placed in the middle of the instrument, the shorter sheet of metal (higher pitch) who is placed on both sides.The most commonly used thumb is to pick up the thumb piano with both hands, and play it together or in turns. The sound part of the thumb organ is the elastic metal bar of different length, and wood or gourd melon is used as the resonance box. In the past, these bars were only metal melted from the ore, but now they are made of high-quality steel.The thumb organ has many different shapes and a different number of steel bars. 4. Thumb Organ Music use scene Thumb organ is attributed to body instruments- -string, wind, leather and body instruments. The main use of the thumb piano is for backing singing, and the thumb piano is generally played at religious rituals or social events. When playing, hold the body in both hands, and then play with two thumbs. When the thumb is pressed and spread out, the steel sheet will vibrate and announce the sound. Some thumb organs will install some shells or soda caps and other objects, so as to announce some similar "hissing" together, but also half shake on the table, will announce the echo, or the sound like the metal sheet shaking, make the sound is more rich. The thumb organ is small and easy to carry, and people form a circle, using it as a singing or storytelling soundtrack.Some people also take it along the way on long walks.
