Bella Ciao Kalimba Tab — Letter Notes & Numbered Tabs
The full Bella Ciao arrangement for a 17-key kalimba in C major, written out in both letter notes and numbered notation — with an honest difficulty note and practice tips for the parts that need them.
Difficulty
Beginner
Key
C Major (17-key)
Range
E4 – G5
Tempo
110 BPM
Bella Ciao began as the song of Italian anti-fascist partisans in the Second World War — a farewell from someone who volunteers to fight and asks to be buried in the mountains under the shade of a flower. Decades later it became a global anthem again, sung at protests on every continent, and a whole new generation met it through the series Money Heist (La Casa de Papel), where the robbers whistle it before every heist.
It is also one of the most fun songs in our beginner collection. The famous opening — 'una mattina mi son svegliato' — is built from bright repeated notes that sit perfectly under the thumbs, and the melody's march-like energy makes it feel bigger than its 50 notes. On a kalimba it sounds like a tiny marching band.
This arrangement is in C major for a standard 17-key kalimba and stays between E4 and G5. Below you get the complete tab in letter notes and numbered notation, a difficulty guide, and tips for keeping the rhythm tight — because this song is all about the bounce.
Hear Bella Ciao first
A kalimba tutorial performance of Bella Ciao. Notice how even the repeated opening notes are — that steady march is the feel the tab below asks for.
Video: Bella Ciao — Kalimba Tutorial (YouTube). Want to test the fingerings as you listen? Open our virtual kalimba in a second tab and pluck along with the recording.
Bella Ciao Kalimba Tabs — Letter Notes
How to read the letter tabs: each note shows the letter and the octave, like C4 or G5. On a 17-key kalimba in C, the lowest tine is C4 and the highest is E6, so the octave number tells you which side of the instrument to play on — smaller numbers are the longer, lower tines. A dash after a note (C4 -) means let it ring.
| C5 C5 E5 C5 D5 A4 A4 | C5 E5 C5 D5 C5 C5 C5 | | E5 C5 D5 E5 E5 G5 E5 D5 | C5 A4 C5 A4 G4 A4 C5 | | C5 A4 G4 A4 C5 C5 E5 C5 | D5 A4 A4 C5 D5 E5 D5 C5 | | A4 G4 E4 G4 C5 - |
Bella Ciao Kalimba Tabs — Numbered Notation
How to read the numbered tabs: numbers 1–7 are the scale notes (1 = C, 2 = D, and so on). 1° is the low octave tine, plain 1 is the middle one, and 1′ is the high one — the same markings you see next to the numbers on your kalimba. Notes in parentheses ( ) play together, and a dash after a number means let it ring.
| 1 1 3 1 2 6° 6° | 1 3 1 2 1 1 1 | | 3 1 2 3 3 5 3 2 | 1 6° 1 6° 5° 6° 1 | | 1 6° 5° 6° 1 1 3 1 | 2 6° 6° 1 2 3 2 1 | | 6° 5° 3° 5° 1 - |
Prefer to hear it first? Open Bella Ciao in the interactive player and follow along while it plays. For more songs in the same style, browse the free kalimba tabs hub.
How hard is Bella Ciao on kalimba?
We rate this arrangement Beginner. We rate this arrangement Beginner, and it is one of the few energetic songs that earns that label. The range is modest, there are no chords, and every phrase is short. The honest caveat is rhythm: at 110 BPM the melody marches rather than floats, and the repeated notes want to be even. A few slow passes with a metronome take care of it.
Learning path: phrase by phrase
Work through these phrases in order. Each one is short enough to master in a few minutes, and together they cover the whole song.
“Una mattina mi son svegliato”
C5 C5 E5 C5 D5 A4. Two bright repeated notes, a rise to E5, then the drop to A4. This phrase opens the song and returns between every verse like a chorus.
“O partigiano, portami via”
C5 C5 E5 C5 D5 E5 E5 G5 E5 D5 C5 A4. The verse climbs higher, touches G5 — the top of the arrangement — and steps back down. Keep the climb marching, even in rhythm.
The quiet ending
The melody circles through its familiar phrases and closes low with G4 E4 G4 C5. Let that final C5 ring and fade — it is the song's slow, calm exhale after all the marching.
Playing tips
- The opening C5 C5 E5 C5 D5 A4 is the hook the whole world recognizes. Make the two opening C5s identical — even in volume and length — and the phrase announces itself immediately.
- Every line of the verse ends with a drop to A4. Practice that little fall on its own; it is the punctuation of the song, and it repeats more than anything else.
- The highest moment is the climb through E5 G5 E5 in the 'o partigiano, portami via' line. Move toward the upper tines early and keep the peak light rather than hammered.
- The final line drops low — G4 E4 G4 C5 — and lands on C5. Bring the volume down a touch here; ending the song quietly makes it sound deliberate instead of abrupt.
- Once the notes are steady, try whistling or humming the melody while playing. Money Heist made the whistled version iconic, and it is easier than it sounds because the tune is so repetitive.
Bella Ciao kalimba FAQ
What is Bella Ciao actually about?
It is the song of the Italian partisans who fought against fascist occupation in the Second World War. The singer says goodbye at dawn, asks to be carried to the mountains if they fall, and asks to be buried beneath a beautiful flower. That mix of sorrow and defiance is why it is still sung around the world.
Is Bella Ciao really a beginner song?
Yes, with one condition: patience with the rhythm. The notes are simple and the range is small, but the melody moves at a marching 110 BPM. Practice slowly at 85–90 first, and the full-tempo version arrives quickly because the phrases repeat so much.
Why do kalimba players love this song?
Money Heist introduced it to a huge new audience, and the repeated, bell-like notes that open the melody happen to be exactly what a kalimba does best. It also works as a solo performance — no backing track needed — which makes it a favorite for short videos.
Can I play it on a 10-key kalimba?
Very likely, yes. The arrangement needs the notes E4 through G5. Standard 10-key C-major instruments usually cover most of that range, but check your tines for F5 and G5 before starting — those two notes sit in the highest line of the verse. Every 17-key kalimba has them.
What should I play next?
The Tetris theme is the natural step up in energy: another folk-derived tune that the world knows from somewhere else, with faster runs and the same satisfying repetition. If you would rather slow down, House of the Rising Sun keeps the folk spirit at a calm 80 BPM.
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Related tabs & guides
- Amazing Grace kalimba tabs — the other slow classic with wide, singing phrases; it pairs beautifully with this song at gatherings.
- 7 note kalimba songs — melodies that fit on small kalimbas, if you are playing on fewer than 17 tines.
- Kalimba tabs with numbers — more practice reading the numbered notation used in the tab above.
- 17-key kalimba tabs — arrangements written for the standard layout, including the high and low tines.