Bella Ciao Kalimba Sheet Music

Did you get swept up in the adrenaline of the heists in the series "La Casa de Papel," and even more so when you heard the revolutionary song "Bella Ciao" sung by the gang? Want to bring this iconic anthem to life on kalimba? Then get your instrument ready—because with the sheet music and tabs a little further down, you’ll be able to play this now-legendary tune.

Now it’s time to add some music to the Professor’s crew.

The Professor’s advice: preparation is key.

If the Professor from "La Casa de Papel" had one piece of advice to give you, it would be to make sure your kalimba is properly in tune before playing "Bella Ciao." It’s unthinkable to learn melodies on an out-of-tune instrument, so before you do anything else, consult our guide to learn how to check the tuning of your thumb piano. That way, you can be sure the score will sound beautifully melodic.

Next, and it certainly can’t hurt, read or reread this article to understand how to read kalimba sheet music and tablature. It’s fairly easy to learn, but some concepts are quickly forgotten if you don’t play the instrument regularly.

Now that everything is ready, let’s tackle the sheet music itself.

Follow the example of a tutorial to play Bella Ciao well on the thumb piano

When you can look at an example for inspiration, it’s always easier to learn the sequence of notes in a score or tablature. With this in mind, we invite you to take a few seconds to watch this tutorial on the melody "Bella Ciao" for a 17-tine kalimba.

The original song is still just as enjoyable to listen to—and steeped in history—so we couldn’t resist sharing it with you in the video just below:

Play Bella Ciao with a numbered score for kalimba

This numbered score of the Bella Ciao melody, designed especially for the kalimba, promises a quick learning curve and great results.

A score with musical letters referenced from La Casa de Papel

On the stickers—or engraved directly on the tines—your kalimba may show letters as well as numbers. It’s simply a different kind of musical notation, and we’re sharing that version of the score right here. You can use either notation to play Bella Ciao, as there will be no difference in how it sounds.

The mbira tablature for this fabulous Italian revolutionary anthem

If you want more precision in your playing—and to know the exact length of the rests between each note—the simplified scores above won’t be enough. In that case, the Bella Ciao tablature below is exactly what you need:

Let's spread some good vibes with this PDF file of the sheet music

At Instruments du Monde, we believe music naturally goes hand in hand with sharing. So you can download this PDF file containing the sheet music and tablature for Bella Ciao for free. Share it with all your kalimba-loving friends—it’s important that this revolutionary song never be forgotten.

What is the origin of the Bella Ciao anthem?

The melody of Bella Ciao originated between the end of the 19th century and the first half of the 20th century. These few notes were mainly sung by the "mondina," seasonal workers whose job was to weed the rice fields in northern Italy. As this work was extremely hard, exhausting, and poorly paid, the workers, who often came from poor backgrounds, staged a revolt in an attempt to improve their working conditions. The song "Bella Ciao" was regularly sung by these rice field workers as they celebrated the enactment of a law limiting the working day to eight hours.

Towards the end of 1944, in the midst of World War II, the lyrics were changed to reflect the events of the time. These lyrics now celebrate the commitment of the partisans who fought against German and Italian troops during the war. The author or authors of these lyrics remain anonymous.

The anthem thus established itself as an Italian resistance song, mainly sung at anti-fascist student demonstrations from the 1970s onwards. But from 2018 onwards, "Bella Ciao" enjoyed a new lease of life thanks to the series "La Casa de Papel," which brought the anthem to the ears of millions of viewers around the world. Today it is an international success deeply embedded in popular culture, inspiring countless covers by artists around the world.

What language is the song Bella Ciao in?

Although the series "La Casa de Papel" is set in Spain and the entire production is Spanish, it’s worth noting that "Bella Ciao" is indeed an Italian song—no ambiguity there.

Why is the song Bella Ciao so closely linked to the series La Casa de Papel?

"Bella Ciao" is closely linked to the series "La Casa de Papel", which helped spark its renewed popularity. Quite simply, it’s because the song is sung at two key moments during the show’s first season.

The first time was in episode 11, when Moscow finally manages to dig through to the second tunnel, leading to a moment of intense joy for all the team members, which is shared with the viewer. The second time is in episode 13, where we see a poignant flashback between Berlin and the Professor when suddenly the latter sings the first words of the song, which are then repeated by Berlin in a breathtakingly emotional sequence.

Thanks to these two brief yet powerful scenes—plus the actors’ charisma and, above all, the song’s deep historical resonance—“Bella Ciao” left a lasting impression and continues to echo in viewers’ minds.

Free yourself through music with a sensational kalimba.

You don’t have to plan a heist to bring that same energy to life—with a kalimba in hand, you now have all the resources you need to master the melody of Bella Ciao on this African-origin instrument. Invest a little time, warm up your thumbs on the steel tines, and you’ll have every chance of playing this now-cult anthem with confidence and style.

However, even if you know the sequence of notes like the back of your hand, you’ll never get great results from a low-quality instrument. The sound can quickly become harsh on the ears. That’s why Instruments du Monde invites you to elevate your playing with an acrylic glass kalimba that has already won over dozens of musicians with the clarity and finesse of its tone. Plus, its unique heart-shaped design is enhanced with iridescent rainbow reflections—an absolute delight to look at.

Discover this unique kalimba by clicking on the image below:

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See the acrylic glass kalimba

Do your eyes light up every time the holiday season approaches, especially at Christmas? Then check out the kalimba sheet music for Petit Papa Noël, the famous song originally performed by Tino Rossi and now known internationally. Or explore dozens of popular music classics in our articles on sheet music for 17-note kalimbas. These are sure to satisfy any instrumentalist.