Handpan is a term for a group of musical instruments classified as a subset of steelpan. Several hand tray manufacturers and brands have also emerged in recent years as a result of increasing worldwide interest in Hang, a tool developed by the PANArt company based on the physical properties of the Trinidadian steel pan, Indian ghatam, Thai gong, and Indonesian gamelan. It is a very important step, especially for the development of the handpan as a musical instrument.
The basic form of a plank consists of two metal half-shells glued together, with a center tone area (called Ding) surrounded by a circle of at least seven tone areas on the upper side and an opening (called Gu) on the lower side. The differences between the manufacturers include the materials they use, the production processes of the raw forms, the shaping of the tonal areas, and the tuning methods.
Today, hundreds of handpan makers have entered the market and offer instruments that vary greatly in material, manufacturing techniques, shape, sound, and quality. In terms of diversity, this situation can be evaluated positively.
Handpans are musical instruments that have an ethereal and hypnotic sound that captivates listeners.
Each instrument is tuned to a single scale, such as major, minor, or harmonic minor. No understanding of music theory is required to create beautiful music because there are no wrong notes in a single string. This also allows an actor to improvise independently of the mind, from a more emotional and kinetic inspiration. Many players use these instruments for personal meditation, sound improvement, and more traditional group compositions.
The handpan is a musical instrument with a very different structure compared to other musical instruments. It differs both in shape and in terms of its sound.
As you play and explore the handpan instrument, you'll find that you sound much better. It will be a little easier for you to interpret it because it is different from the sounds you are used to hearing. A minimum of skill will suffice for creativity and rhythm. You can make sense of the sounds produced without having any technical knowledge. They are strings designed to be played intuitively by feeling and hearing.
It does not have strict rules like other musical instruments. It is a musical instrument that is open to new interpretations since it is not a musical instrument with a very long history. After dealing with the handpan as a musical instrument for a while, you can produce new sounds with simple interpretations. You can create very good compositions by adopting the sounds that come out over time.
First of all, we must evaluate the tuning and main notes of the instrument.
This instrument is normally tuned in D minor but can be found in other keys as well. From here, we can create up to 12 different notes to create a variety of sounds. The lowest note of his instrument is normally the one closest to the musician, and the highest note is the one farthest away.
The first point to consider will be the ergonomics of the musician, as it will be essential to avoid any possible discomfort or injury in the future, which could affect the quality of the sound.