8-tone thumb piano made of wood.

The thumb piano, a musical instrument from the lamellophone category of idiophones, is popular in Central Africa. The instrument produces notes by striking metal tongues with the thumbs, hence the name "thumb piano.". In Suriname it is known as papai-benta and in Africa as mbira, likembe, kalimba, tshisaji, ikembe, kasayi, sansa, and akadongo k’abaluru. For the Shona, where it is called mbira, it has a deep cultural value. The marimba from Cuba is a variant of the bass kalimba. Maurice White of Earth, Wind, and Fire, a famous thumb piano player, named his production company after this instrument. The thumb piano usually has a series of iron tongues that vibrate when struck with the fingers. These tongues are attached to a sound box. Sometimes spoon handles or flattened bicycle wheel spokes are used for the metal tongues for lack of better material. The number of tongues varies from 8 to 24, divided into two groups so that each hand has a wide range. The notes are not arranged in ascending order but in two parallel groups. Three transverse combs secure the tongues, the outer two providing support and the middle one pressing down on the lamellae to clamp them. Rings between the combs around the tongues contribute to the sound character.