Kalimba Sheet Music: Shaun – Way Back Home

Do you know the song "Way Back Home" by South Korean DJ Shaun and want to learn how to play it on your kalimba? This sweet, catchy melody is a real crowd-pleaser. With the sheet music and tablature you’ll find in the rest of this article, you’ll be able to play "Way Back Home" on a 17-tine thumb piano tuned to C major.

Let’s take a closer look at this kalimba sheet music.

Do this before you start studying the Way Back Home sheet music

As we’ve already mentioned, this sheet music requires a kalimba tuned to C major. This is the most common tuning for thumb pianos, and there’s a good chance your instrument is already set up this way. However, a kalimba can drift out of tune from time to time, so we strongly recommend that you check the tuning to make sure you’re playing in tune while learning the melody of "Way Back Home."

You should also know that the tablature for this DJ Shaun track can be slightly challenging if you have zero background in music reading. For example, you’ll come across ties (held notes). Don’t ignore them, or you won’t be able to play the song correctly. Check out this free guide that shows you how to read kalimba sheet music and tablature. It will seriously boost your chances of success.

Let yourself be guided by an explanatory video dedicated to the kalimba

To help musicians learn as many melodies as possible, we include a video with each of our sheet music posts, showing you exactly what to play. You’ll find the video for "Way Back Home" below:

If you haven’t heard the original track yet, give it a listen to get the feel of the song.

DJ Shaun’s hit song in tab notation for kalimba

If you already know the rhythm and tempo of “Way Back Home,” number-based notation can be a great option if you’d rather not dive into tablature.

A kalimba score with letters for Way Back Home

Letter note names (A to F) are sometimes printed directly on a kalimba’s steel tines, which can make this option more intuitive than numbers for some players. Here is the sheet music for "Way Back Home" with letters.

Boost your mastery of the melody with mbira tablature

Tablature is a bit more complex to learn than simplified sheet music with letters and numbers, but it shows you the exact duration of notes and rests. That’s perfect if you don’t know the song you want to play very well.

Learn to play “Way Back Home” on the kalimba anywhere

Don’t risk losing the chance to learn "Way Back Home" just because you’re offline. Download this free PDF file that includes all the materials you need right now. All you have to do is save it, then print it, so you can keep practising the melody anywhere.

Who wrote the song Way Back Home?

The song "Way Back Home" was composed in 2018 by South Korean DJ Shaun, whose real name is Kim Yun-ho. He began his career in 2010 as a keyboard player and stand-in vocalist for the rock band "The Koxx." After several years with the band, he decided to start a solo career in 2015 and released several singles. He dropped his first album in 2018, titled "Take," which included the future hit "Way Back Home." According to Shaun, the song was written in under five hours. He drew inspiration from another melody he had composed in 2015 for the South Korean pop group JYJ, but it wasn’t selected because it was considered too musically similar to another Japanese song.

Shaun’s earlier tracks didn’t achieve major success, so "Way Back Home" far exceeded the composer’s expectations by reaching No. 1 on the South Korean music charts. It became so successful that Shaun and his management company were accused of manipulating chart numbers to promote "Way Back Home." After an investigation, these accusations were deemed unfounded.

What do the lyrics of Way Back Home mean?

The lyrics of “Way Back Home” are a love message from the singer to the person he’s addressing. In essence, they say that even if life’s ups and downs keep them apart and they don’t see each other for years, he’ll always find his way “back home.” The song doesn’t explicitly confirm it’s a romantic relationship, but the young woman featured on the cover art suggests that it likely is.

Given the track’s strong success in South Korea, DJ Sam Feldt quickly released an edited version featuring singer Conor Maynard. The track alternates between English and Korean. To make it more melodic, the English lyrics shift slightly in meaning compared to the Korean version, even though the overall message remains similar. Sam Feldt’s version has now surpassed Shaun’s original in popularity on YouTube, with nearly four times as many views. Check out that version in the video below:

Enhance the melodies played with a Gecko kalimba

The sweet, catchy melody of “Way Back Home” sounds beautiful on a kalimba. It’s only natural to want to add it to your repertoire. With the sheet music and tablature you’ve just discovered, all you need now is some practice to perform this great track by DJ Shaun.

However, even the best musicians can’t work miracles with a poor-quality instrument. To play "Way Back Home" in the best possible conditions, we strongly recommend using a Gecko kalimba, a brand known for the refined sound and feel of its thumb pianos. Instruments du Monde offers a Gecko kalimba that comes with a microphone, so you can accurately record every melody you play. It’s ideal for sharing your performances online with friends.

Aim for excellence and get this Gecko kalimba by clicking on the image below:

Add extra nuance to your melodies with a Gecko kalimba

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View the Gecko kalimba

Still in the realm of popular music from recent years, how about learning a song from a well-known pop rock band? Check out our sheet music and tablature for the Imagine Dragons song Demons. This piece is especially popular on the thumb piano because its tones are so satisfying to listen to. However, if you’re drawn to other styles of songs, browse our sheet music for 17-tine kalimbas. One of them is bound to become a favourite.