Written by Ambre Montespan - Updated on May 8, 2026
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Want to learn a simple, easy song on your 7-tine kalimba? Would you like to play a classic, well-known Christmas carol from sheet music to keep the holiday spirit alive? Want to play Vive le Vent—also known as Jingle Bells—on your African-rooted instrument? Look no further—you'll find all the resources you need in this article.
Let's take a look at the thumb piano sheet music for Jingle Bells.
Remember to check the tuning of your kalimba
7-tine kalimbas are often tuned to a major pentatonic scale, meaning they only have 5 different notes: C, D, E, G, and A. This scale is perfect for playing by ear, but it won't let you play most well-known songs from sheet music. As a result, you'll need to retune your instrument to F major, as shown in the diagram below:
If you're not sure how to do this, read this tutorial to learn how to change the tuning of your thumb piano. You'll see exactly how to handle this quick, simple step on your instrument. It's essential—otherwise you won't be able to play Jingle Bells correctly.
In addition, it’s important to make sure you can read kalimba sheet music correctly. Without these basic music-theory skills, you won’t fully understand what’s required in the musical documents you’ll find further down.
Watch the tutorial video to play Jingle Bells on the mbira
Most people know the rhythm and melody of Jingle Bells, but it’s still helpful to have a video that shows you exactly what to do on your instrument. Watch it just below:
You can also take inspiration from the original song here:
Playing Jingle Bells with a thumb piano score
To play the melody of Jingle Bells with ease, nothing beats numbered kalimba sheet music to help you get good results quickly.
Choose a score with letters to play this Christmas carol
Do you usually play from letter-based sheet music? We've already converted it for you, so you can pick the notation that feels most natural.
Step up with thumb piano tablature
A bit more advanced, but extremely clear visually, tablature can be a huge help—as long as you understand the basic music-theory symbols it uses. You'll get a full view of which tines to play, along with the note lengths. It’s an ideal way to play Jingle Bells.
Save the song Jingle Bells to practise later
Don't have time to work on Jingle Bells right now and want to come back to it later? No problem—we offer free downloads of the sheet music and tablature for Jingle Bells in PDF format. You can revisit it anytime or share it with friends who play the kalimba.
Who wrote the song Jingle Bells?
The song Jingle Bells was written by James Lord Pierpont, an American composer born on April 25, 1822, in Boston. However, it wasn't originally called Jingle Bells, but "The One Horse Open Sleigh." It was published on September 16, 1857.
James Lord Pierpont, whose father was a reverend in a Boston church, first attended private school, then served in the Navy until he was 21. He later tried his hand at business during the California Gold Rush, but without success. He then joined his brother—who had become a pastor at a church in Savannah, Georgia—and worked alongside him as the church’s music director. There he composed several melodies, including "The One Horse Open Sleigh," which was mainly performed during Thanksgiving celebrations. A few years later, minor changes were made, especially to the chorus, which was simplified, and the piece ultimately became known as Jingle Bells—now one of the most popular songs of the holiday season.
Who wrote the lyrics to the melody Jingle Bells?
While Jingle Bells dates back to 1857, the French version was written in 1948 by Francis Blanche, a French author, actor, singer, and comedian born on July 20, 1921, in Paris. He titled it “Vive le Vent” and adapted the lyrics to reflect the memories and experiences tied to end-of-year celebrations. The adaptation quickly became popular, and well-known artists such as Dalida, Mireille Mathieu, and Henri Dès have covered it in recent years.
Play more melodies with a 17-tine kalimba
“Jingle Bells” is one of those classic melodies that’s extremely easy to learn on a musical instrument. It’s undeniably associated with Christmas and New Year’s Day and helps bring people together during those special moments of celebration. Now you can play it on your kalimba using the sheet music you’ve just discovered.
That said, a 7-tine kalimba isn’t really designed for playing well-known songs from sheet music. With so few notes available, you can only play a limited number of melodies. That’s why it’s worth moving up to a 17-tine thumb piano, which is far better suited to this. The Instruments du Monde store recommends this 17-tine model that captures the spirit of Christmas—perfect for playing a wide range of songs.
Treat yourself to this 17-tine kalimba by clicking on the image below:
Learn another simple song with your 7-tine instrument using our sheet music and tablature for the melody You Are My Sunshine. And find other sheet music for 7-tine kalimbas by visiting our dedicated section.
