Monday, July 27, 2026
Technology

The Bastl Kalimba is a wild synth that thinks it’s a thumb piano

Make no mistake, the Bastl Kalimba is a synthesizer, you just play it like a kalimba. Its tines don't really make much sound. There is an internal mic that you can blend in for a little acoustic spice, but it's mostly driven by the synth engine that combines physical modeling and FM. The tines are [...

The Bastl Kalimba is a wild synth that thinks it’s a thumb piano
Image: The Verge
It’s already raised over $700,000 on Kickstarter. | Image: Bastl

Make no mistake, the Bastl Kalimba is a synthesizer, you just play it like a kalimba. Its tines don't really make much sound. There is an internal mic that you can blend in for a little acoustic spice, but it's mostly driven by the synth engine that combines physical modeling and FM. The tines are actually touch and velocity-sensitive triggers. And, while it can sound somewhat like a real kalimba, it's a lot more sonically versatile and offers features you can only find on a synth.

Beyond the synth sounds that range from pluck to pads, there are also built-in effects covering basic spatial effects like delay and reverb, as well as distortio …

Read the full story at The Verge.

Originally published at The Verge

The Morning Briefing

Subscribe to our Newsletter

Be the first to receive the latest news, market analysis and updates — delivered straight to your inbox.