Mbira dzavadzimu (with extra keys)

This instrument class offers notations for the mbira dzavadzimu with all sorts of additional keys or manuals, e.g a LI left index finger manual. It is a work in progress - if you would like to transcribe pieces using extension keys which are not yet supported, get in touch.

For transcriptions with extensions such as the common extra bass key and higher index keys, the basic mbira davadzimu class is already sufficient. However, there a difference in how that bass key is handled on translation.

There are the same three notations as for the mbira dzavadzimu without extra keys:

Position
Pitch
Pitch+Octaves

but with an optional LI track:

RI: Keys played with the right index finger
RT: Keys played with the right thumb
LI: Left index finger
L: Top left thumb manual
B: Bottom left thumb manual

All notations are convertible to and from Pitch. If a direct translation between two notations is not available, use an intermediate step across Pitch.

Click on the tabs below for a description of each notation:

The numbers indicate the key positions in each of the three playing areas from bottom to top. Following common practice, the B2x extension key is given its own name instead of shifting all subsequent numbers by one.

Key Overview

The table below shows all keys of the notation, from lowest to highest. Each row contains all possible keys for that playing area. Each column contains all keys of the same pitch.

Not all instruments may have keys matching all these notes. Red notes are alias names for the same key, if it can be played with different fingers.

Hosho	.
RI																		4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13
RT									L1		1			-2	-1	2	3	4	5	6
LI											1					2	3
L									1		RT1	3	2	4	5	6	7
B		1	2x	2	3	4	5	6		7

Aliases

The table below lists all alias keys. Row names are shown in black, cell content in red.

Key	Alias	Notes
L1	RTL1	L1 key played with the right thumb
RT1	LRT1	RT1 key played with the left thumb
RI4	RT4	RI4 key played with the thumb instead of the index finger
RI5	RT5	RI4 key played with the thumb instead of the index finger
RI6	RT6	RI4 key played with the thumb instead of the index finger

Like Pitch+Octaves notation, but octave indication is omitted where can be deduced from the playing area. If a manual contains the same pitch class twice, the less frequently used key gets the octave indication.

Caveat: The notation uses two single quotes (''), not a double quote (") for the highest register.

Key Overview

The table below shows all keys of the notation, from lowest to highest. Each row contains all possible keys for that playing area. Each column contains all keys of the same pitch.

Not all instruments may have keys matching all these notes. Red notes are alias names for the same key, if it can be played with different fingers.

Hosho	.
RI																		3	4	5	6	7	1	2	3''	4''	5''
RT									L1		3			6	7	1	2	3'	4	5
LI											3					1	2
L									1		RT3	4	5	6	7	1'	2
B		1	2,	3	4	5	6	7		2

Aliases

The table below lists all alias keys. Row names are shown in black, cell content in red.

Key	Alias	Notes
L1	RTL1	L1 key played with the right thumb
RT3	LRT3	RT3 key played with the left thumb
RI3	RT3'	RI3 key played with the thumb instead of the index finger (Note the RT3', as there is also RT3)
RI4	RT4	RI4 key played with the thumb instead of the index finger
RI5	RT5	RI5 key played with the thumb instead of the index finger

The numbers denote scale degrees (1-7) of the mbira's seven tone scale, starting with 1 as the lowest tone of both the L and B registers. Apostrophes and commas indicate the octave position relative to the middle register. e.g. 1, 1 1' 1''.

Caveat: The notation uses two single quotes (''), not a double quote (") for the highest register.

Key Overview

The table below shows all keys of the notation, from lowest to highest. Each row contains all possible keys for that playing area. Each column contains all keys of the same pitch.

Not all instruments may have keys matching all these notes. Red notes are alias names for the same key, if it can be played with different fingers.

Hosho	.
RI																		3'	4'	5'	6'	7'	1''	2''	3''	4''	5''
RT									1		3			6	7	1'	2'	3'	4'	5'
LI											3					1'	2'
L									1		3	4	5	6	7	1'	2'
B		1,	2,	3,	4,	5,	6,	7,		2

Aliases

The table below lists all alias keys. Row names are shown in black, cell content in red.

Key	Alias	Notes
L1	RT1	L1 key played with the right thumb
RT3	L3	RT3 key played with the left thumb
RI3'	RT3'	RI3' key played with the thumb instead of the index finger
RI4'	RT4'	RI4' key played with the thumb instead of the index finger
RI5'	RT5'	RI5' key played with the thumb instead of the index finger