You Are My Sunshine Kalimba Tab — Letter Notes & Numbered Tabs
The full You Are My Sunshine 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
C4 – A4
Tempo
100 BPM
You Are My Sunshine has been sung around campfires, kitchens, and hospital rooms since the 1940s, and it might be the warmest melody ever put to four simple lines. On a 17-key kalimba it could not be more beginner-friendly: the entire song lives on the six lowest tines, from C4 to A4, on the left side of the instrument where your thumbs naturally rest.
This page gives you the full arrangement in both letter notes and numbered notation, plus a difficulty guide and playing tips. It is short enough to memorize in a single sitting and familiar enough that your ears will catch every wrong note — which is exactly what makes it such an effective first song.
You Are My Sunshine 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.
| C4 C4 G4 G4 A4 | G4 F4 E4 E4 D4 | | C4 D4 E4 C4 | C4 C4 G4 G4 A4 | | G4 F4 E4 E4 F4 | E4 C4 D4 C4 |
You Are My Sunshine 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° 5° 5° 6° | 5° 4° 3° 3° 2° | | 1° 2° 3° 1° | 1° 1° 5° 5° 6° | | 5° 4° 3° 3° 4° | 3° 1° 2° 1° |
Prefer to hear it first? Open You Are My Sunshine in the interactive player and follow along while it plays.
How hard is You Are My Sunshine on kalimba?
We rate this arrangement Beginner. Beginner, and not a demanding beginner song either. The melody uses only six adjacent notes, moves mostly by small steps, and repeats its opening phrase twice. The tempo is a comfortable 100 BPM — quicker than a lullaby, but the tune is so well known that your sense of the song carries the timing for you.
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.
“You are my sunshine”
C4 C4 G4 G4 A4 G4 F4 E4. Two soft repeated notes, a confident jump up, then a stepwise settle. This is the phrase people hum when they think of the song.
“My only sunshine”
E4 D4 C4 D4 E4 C4. A small dip and recovery that answers the opening line. Keep the pairs of notes even in length and the phrase will sing itself.
The closing turn
E4 F4 E4 C4 D4 C4. The only appearance of F4 in the song arrives here, followed by a calm landing on C4. Let that final low note ring — it gives the whole tune its warm ending.
Playing tips
- Stay on the low tines. It is tempting to drift toward the identical middle-octave notes out of habit, but the arrangement lives between C4 and A4, and keeping your thumb anchored in that small neighborhood is what makes the song easy.
- The opening run C4 C4 G4 G4 A4 G4 F4 E4 is the hook everyone recognizes. Learn it first and play it slowly until the little rise to A4 and step back down feels effortless — everything else in the song leans on it.
- The second line, E4 D4 C4 D4 E4 C4, is a gentle walk down and back. Practice it as its own loop; when it flows, the whole first half of the song is done.
- Sing the words as you play. This is the single most useful tip for familiar songs: your voice knows the next note before your thumbs do, and any slip becomes obvious instantly.
You Are My Sunshine kalimba FAQ
Can I play this on a 10-key kalimba?
Very likely, yes. The song needs only the notes C4 through A4, which the standard 10-key C-major layout includes along with every 17-key instrument. The letter and numbered tabs here match the 17-key layout, but the melody transfers directly.
Why is this song recommended for beginners?
Three reasons: it uses just six notes, those notes sit side by side on the instrument, and the tune is already in your head. You spend your practice time training clean plucking and steady rhythm instead of hunting for positions.
How can I make it sound fuller once I know the notes?
Play it twice — once normally and once softer — and let the final C4 ring out fully. Once the melody is solid, you can lightly touch the low C4 between phrases as a drone, but master the single-note version first so the tune stays clear.
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