Written by Ambre Montespan - Updated on Jan 27, 2026
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Are you a fan of The Beatles, especially the late John Lennon? Do you own a kalimba and want to learn how to play the famous song “Imagine” using sheet music or tablature? Perfect! With all the documents you’ll find in this article, you’ll be able to play this melody on your 17-tine thumb piano. What’s more, I’ve been playing these tabs and scores myself for over five years, and my audience has never been disappointed. You’re sure to charm any John Lennon fan!
With Yoko Ono by his side, just like in the song’s music video, it’s time to dive into this classic of popular music.
Read the Imagine tablature like an expert!
Just so you know, the Imagine tablature isn’t beginner-level. You’ll need solid control of your kalimba and a basic understanding of a few musical symbols to play it cleanly. Don’t worry—a tutorial that teaches you how to read kalimba sheet music and tablature is available. After reading it, you’ll understand, among other things, note values, rests, dots, and ties.
Finally, nothing is more frustrating than playing “wrong” notes simply because your instrument is out of tune. That’s why we highly recommend this article on how to tune your kalimba. It’ll save you the annoyance of pressing the right tines but not getting the right sound.
Familiarize yourself with the song Imagine before playing it on the thumb piano
To get the best results, it’s also a good idea to really soak in the original song. So first, listen to what you can achieve on your kalimba by following the sheet music and tablature closely.
Then take the time to compare it with the original 1971 recording.
The kalimba sheet music for John Lennon’s hit song with numbers
Letter-notation sheet music for mbira: the melody Imagine
Accurately assess note lengths with this sanza tablature for Imagine
Since the song is quite complex to play on the sanza, tablature is the best option if you want to improve your final result.
Save all the sheet music and tablature for John Lennon’s song in PDF format
To help you out, a completely free PDF of “Imagine” for kalimba is available, so you can keep all the documents you need on your computer.
Who is John Lennon?
John Lennon, born on October 9, 1940, is best known as a songwriter, singer, and composer for the hugely successful British band “The Beatles.” For nearly 10 years, alongside Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr, he helped deliver hit after hit, making them the most famous musical quartet of their era, including the album Abbey Road.
In 1970, following several disagreements between the band members, the group broke up and each member pursued a solo career. It was during this period that John Lennon, with the help of his wife Yoko Ono, wrote the song Imagine. He continued to produce albums that saw relatively less success until 1980, when, while traveling between his recording studio and his home, he was shot and killed with a revolver by Mark David Chapman, a fan suffering from psychosis who fantasized about killing his idol. Chapman was sentenced to life in prison and remains incarcerated today despite numerous requests for release.
Even more than 40 years after his death, John Lennon remains a hugely popular artist and one of the best-selling album artists of all time. Each December 8, a gathering is held in New York on the anniversary of his assassination. He also remains one of the artistic figures of the hippie movement.
What is the message of the song Imagine?
To answer that, it helps to look at the historical context of the time—September 9, 1971, the day “Imagine” was released. Back then, the hippie movement, which began in the United States in the 1960s, was firmly established across the Western world. Its peak is often associated with the Woodstock festival in 1969. That philosophy and lifestyle had a major influence on John Lennon as he created “Imagine.”
The hippie movement was known for going against the dominant culture of the era. Largely driven by young people, hippies promoted a non-violent society with their famous slogan “peace and love,” rooted in rejecting authority and consumerism, returning to nature, and embracing sexual freedom.
The lyrics of “Imagine” fit perfectly into that context. In the song, John Lennon invites listeners to imagine (hence the title) a society—or even a world—without violence, where peace alone reigns: a utopian vision in which borders, religions, countries, and everything he saw as a source of conflict would no longer exist. Lennon’s message is one of peace and brotherhood, which he hoped would spread to all people on Earth.
Improve your kalimba performance of the song Imagine!
With all the files at your disposal, you’re now fully able to perform John Lennon’s song Imagine on your kalimba. It takes practice and perseverance, of course, but the result is absolutely worth it. Once you’ve fully mastered the sheet music or tablature, you (and your audience, if you have one) can truly appreciate this landmark of popular music.
However, even if you play the melody perfectly, you still might not love the final sound because of your thumb piano’s overall quality. Not all instruments are created equal, and choosing your kalimba carefully is key to getting a tone that’s truly pleasing to the ear. That’s why Instruments du Monde offers a kalimba with beautifully refined finishing that delivers pure, crystal-clear notes.
Discover this kalimba now and elevate all your performances with this instrument—simply click on the image below:
Come aboard the Black Pearl and discover our Pirates of the Caribbean kalimba sheet music and tablature. Relive the best moments of the film in music with Jack Sparrow, William Turner, and Elizabeth Swann. However, since this melody is quite complex, beginners will find what they’re looking for in our range of sheet music and tablature for 17-tine kalimbas, which includes very simple pieces to study.
