Before you play the kalimba, you must make sure it's in tune or it won't sound right. You can download a simple tuning app on your phone or you can purchase a digital guitar tuner. Once you have the tuner, turn it on and place it next to your kalimba. Popular tuning apps include VITALtuner, Cleartune, and iStrobosoft. You can purchase a guitar tuner online or at a music store. Digital guitar tuners will cost anywhere from $10-$40. The tines are the long metal pieces that run from the top to the bottom of the kalimba. Most kalimbas will come with a key chart that outlines which notes correspond with which tine and some kalimbas even have the notes engraved on the tines themselves. If you don't have a key chart, look online to find one that matches your kalimba. For example, if your kalimba has 8 tines, look for tunings for kalimbas with 8 tines. Starter kalimbas usually come with 8 notes or 8 tines. More advanced kalimbas come with 12 notes or 12 tines. Find the center tine and pluck it with your fingernail while looking at the tuner. The tine should vibrate and a note should ring out. Tines are like the keys on a piano. On most 8-tine kalimbas, the center tine will be a C note. The center note is usually a G or C on a 12-note kalimba. A kalimba tuning hammer is a small metal hammer that can be purchased online. Lightly tap the bottom end of the tine upward to raise the note. Pluck it again and see what note it is. Keep tapping and readjusting it until it is the correct note. For example, f you're using an 8-tine kalimba and the tuner reads C or B, that means the note is flat and the tine needs to be repositioned. You don't have to use a lot of force when tapping the tine. Do it very lightly to make slight adjustments. If the tuner reads , that means the tine is sharp and needs to be lowered. Lightly tap the top of the tine to move it downward. Play the tine again by plucking it to see whether it is in tune. For example, if you're using an 8-tine kalimba and the center tine reads C or D, it means that the note is sharp and the tine must be lowered. Repeat the process on the rest of the kalimba, following the key chart to ensure that each tine is in tune. Once you've positioned all the tines in the proper position, your kalimba should be in tune and ready to play.

Summary: Download or purchase a tuner. Refer to a kalimba key chart to determine the proper notes. Hit the center tine and look at the note on the tuner. Tap the tine upward with a tuning hammer if the note is flat. Tap the tine downward with a tuning hammer if the note is sharp. Tune the rest of the kalimba.

Fermentation occurs best in a temperature of between 18 and 22 degrees Centigrade (64 to 72 degrees Fahrenheit). Place your glass canning jar in a climate controlled space to achieve the desired temperature. An absence of light also helps the fermentation process along. Place the jar in a dark closet or cover it with a thick cloth. After two or three days, the lacto-fermentation process will start. To prevent excess buildup of gasses, slowly twist the top of the sealed glass canning jar until you hear gasses start to escape. Twist it closed quickly. Repeat daily. Some specially-designed canning jars include an airlock that automatically ejects carbon dioxide from the vessel as it accrues. Such vessels do not need to be burped. Consult manufacturer directions for more information about whether burping your glass canning jar is necessary. After two to four days in a cool-to-room-temperature location, the vessel should be moved. The target temperature is about four degrees Centigrade (40 degrees Fahrenheit). For small batches, the bottom shelf of the fridge works nicely. There is no single "right" time to end the lacto-fermentation process. Most people wait one to three weeks to allow the lacto-fermentation process to work. Once you've waited on the lacto-fermentation process as long as you wish to, remove the vessel and sample the flavor. You can always replace the lid and allow the fermentation process to continue for longer (though removing the lid of the glass canning jar will slow the momentum of the process). Experiment with the lacto-fermentation process by waiting a longer or shorter time before tasting the product. This will allow you to achieve the flavor you want.
Summary: Place the vessel in a cool, dark place. Burp your glass canning jar. Move the glass canning jar to a cooler location. Taste your lacto-fermented product.