Transforming an Acoustic Kalimba into an Electric Instrument with the MSP Pickup

Giving the Kalimba a New Voice — Using the MSP Pickup for Electric Expression

The kalimba is often played as an acoustic instrument, but with the right gear, it can be transformed into an electric instrument, expanding its expressive range with effects and layers of sound.

This time, we’d like to introduce a great example of that transformation. The video below was kindly shared by Yuu Souda (Earth Musician), whom we’ve featured before on our blog.

In this setup, he attached our MSP Pickup—a contact microphone that captures the natural resonance of acoustic instruments—to his kalimba, then routed the sound through an effect pedal. This allows a single kalimba to produce deep, layered tones with rich spatial depth.

The MSP Pickup is a patented magnetic contact piezo pickup, designed and manufactured in Japan.

Its unique feature is a built-in magnet that allows it to be easily attached to any ferromagnetic metal part—such as the keys or bars of a kalimba—without any modification or damage to the instrument.

Installation and removal are quick, making it ideal for multi-instrumentalists and performers who value both portability and sound quality.


If your instrument has metal parts, you can simply “click” the MSP Pickup into place and instantly capture clear, natural sound for amplification or recording.


| 123sound.jp (MSP pickup company site) | 123sound.jp SHOP |

#Kalimba #MSPPickup #ElectricKalimba #MusicalInstruments #SoundInnovation #PiezoPickup #JapaneseDesign #MusicTech #PatentedDesign

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