MINA – Kalimba Piano Plugin VST3 / AU
A Kalimba And A Magical Piano
MINA is a deeply sampled kalimba that can be transformed into a magical piano with the turn of a knob.
Pianofy The Kalimba
The Pianofy knob turns MINA from a pure kalimba into an imaginary piano or celeste-like instrument. It reduces the natural ringing of the notes and brings in celeste and dulcitone layers, creating a fuller, warmer and more piano-like sound. At higher settings, release samples become part of the sound, emulating the mechanical noises of a keyboard action.
Two Articulations, 30 Round Robins
The kalimba was recorded with two articulations: a harder one played with the thumb, with 30 round robins, and a softer one played with a felt pick, with 20 round robins. The Softness knob blends between the two, while Bloom controls the attack and Reverse adds reversed samples.
With A Little Mischief
Mischief changes the starting points of
the samples, introducing small differences in timing between the
two articulations. Space adds reverb,
with seven different types to choose from.
MINA offers a 58-key range.
System Requirements
- macOS 11 or later / Windows 10 or later
- Minimum 4 GB RAM, 8 GB or more recommended
- 800MB free disk space
Self-contained virtual instrument (VST3/AU) — no Kontakt Player or
other sampler required.
Compatible with most modern AU and VST3 hosts.
Tested in: Logic Pro, FL Studio, REAPER, GarageBand, Cubase,
Ableton Live, Vienna Ensemble Pro
A Kalimba Hidden In A Wardrobe
For years, a kalimba was hiding in my old wardrobe, among a chaotic collection of things: books, retro gaming consoles, old CDs and cassette tapes from my childhood. When I stumbled upon it while searching for something else, I knew I had to sample it.
But the idea was not simply to sample the kalimba. Instead, I wanted to create a kind of imaginary instrument by blending it with celeste and dulcitone layers, as well as release samples, to give it a more piano-like sound.
You can use MINA as a straightforward sampled kalimba, with an exceptional number of round robins, or turn the Pianofy knob to transform it into a completely different instrument.
Create Presets With A Simple Click
Randomize lets you generate random
presets with the click of a button, making it easy to find
inspiration and discover sounds you might never have thought of
– or that might have taken you a long time to create.
You like two presets but wish there was something in between?
Morph Presets allows you to seamlessly
morph between two different presets.
For Fantasy, Cinematic & Playful Music
Fantasy & Fairytale
MINA was made for music that needs a small, unusual piano sound with a sense of fantasy. It works especially well for fairytale, whimsical and story-driven music.
Cinematic Music
Its combination of kalimba, celeste and dulcitone can add a delicate melodic voice that sounds different from a conventional piano, celeste or music box.
Ambient & Post-Classical
MINA can take the place of a felt piano or supply more ambient sounds when playing with the Bloom, Reverse and Mischief knobs.
Piano & Celeste
Turn up Pianofy to bring the celeste, dulcitone and release samples into the sound and move MINA towards its imaginary piano character.
