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24 terms that every handpan player should know

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25 terms that every handpan player should know

  • General information, Handpan Fundamentals, Tips and Resources

25 terms that every handpan player should know

  1. Apex: The dome of the center-note when it is outward
  2. Dimple: The purposely dented part of the steel in the center of a note. Can be dented inward or outward.
  3. Ding: the central note on the top of the instrument.
  4. Dome: another name for dimple, The purposely dented part of the steel in the center of a note. Can be dented inward or outward.
  5. Dynamics: from the quietest to the loudest volume, exactly the full range
  6. sound sculpture: another name for pantam/handpan
  7. Gu: The opening circle or port in the bottom of the handpan, it helps the air to escape from the bottom of the instrument and also helps makers to tune the instrument easier
  8. Handpan: Generic word for a hand-played pitched instrument which is created from steel or similar metal, with notes
  9. Hang: The trademarked name for the original handpan
  10. Harmonics: Overtones that come with the fundamental pitch of a single note. The Eighth and compound fifth harmonics are forced in a note by a steel tuner
  11. Inpex: The dome of the center-note when it is inward
  12. Interstitial: any surface of the handpan that isn’t tuned, these spaces are usually found between ding, Gu or Tonefields
  13. Major: one of the main scale categories, this scale type is upbeat and happier.
  14. Minor: one of the main scale categories, this scale type is mysterious and melancholy
  15. Nitriding: Case hardening process used to harden steel by diffusing molecular nitrogen into the steel matrix, creating iron nitrides.
  16. Note: The general term used in music for the musical sounds, on a Handpan notes are the tuned parts of the instrument.
  17. Pantam: another generic name used for handpan, it comes from the combination of Ghatam and Steelpan.
  18. Pattern: a sequence of notes that come after each to create a harmony.
  19. Rim: the non-resonant metal edges that match the top and bottom shells of the handpan which usually cover with rubber or rope.
  20. Shell: shells are what handpans made from, metal semi-spheres that glue together at their rims
  21. Shoulder: The area between the ding and the tone fields on the tone circle, shoulder note is right on the border line around the ding
  22. Sound Model: a set of notes that arranged for a Handpan, also known as Scale.
  23. Sustain: The length of time a note resonates after being played
  24. Tone Fields: All the oval or the round shape fields with a specific note sound

Please contact us if you need further information or have more questions.

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handpan history when , where and how?

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Handpan history, when, where and how?

Handpan history, when, where and how?

Handpan, Pantam, hang drum or sound-sculpture are the names for a rather young musical instruments family. They are made with steel and are consist of 2 convex steel shells that are glued together. In this article we are going to look at this instrument history and explain some interesting information about it.

When and where was handpan/pantam invented?

The path of hang drum development is a combination of a few historical instruments, some of which are very old and some are more recent. In fact we can call handpan/pantam a global instrument because many countries’ musical culture have been involved in its development journey.The first hang was invented by Felix Rohner and Sabina Schärer from PANArt Hangbau AG in Bern, Switzerland. The two were steel pan builders and invertor of different musical instruments. In the late 1990’s, Reto Weber, a musician, contacted Felix Rohner and Sabina Schärer and explained his idea about a new instrument that is made of steel and looks like a pot with some notes on. He wanted to combine the sound of Ghatam, which is an Indian instrument and the steel pan. The experiment began and they made something which was called “Mother Hang”. The word “HANG” came from Bernese German word for Hand. The output was surprisingly good so Felix and his colleague stopped making steel pans and started focusing on creating the First generation of handpans which was originally called HANG (between 2001 to 2005). They presented the very first instrument at Frankfurt and it became viral later on 2005 when people found some playing videos of it on YouTube. 

The HANG was being offered in approximately 45 different scales and sound models, which were focused mostly on ethnic musical scales like Ake bono, Hijaz, Pygmy, Melog and Zhi Diao.  The first generation Hangs had 7 to 8 tone fields on a circle around a center note being tuned only on F3, E3 and Eb 3. Later on some new generations with many changes were release up until 2013 when PANArt announced that the Hang would no longer be made.

As of then, many makers around the world started creating these musical instruments with the same concept but some changes and called them Handpan, Pantam or sound-sculpture.

The way the invention of this musical instrument influenced the world of the music enthusiast was so astounding and the market faced a big volume of demand in the years right after PANArt stopped making them. The first makers received so many requests in a way they also had to stop getting more orders and will be making the requested line of orders for many years after. Since then, the number of the makers are increasing everyday all around the world responding to the demand for this magical instrument globally.

Kita also, as one of the first makers in this region, started making Handpans since 2017 and has showed continuous growth in terms of quality and manufacturing capability since then.

Handpan history

If you are thinking to join the club and start this wonderful journey of learning and playing Pantams together with this raising number of enthusiasts all around the world, KitaPantam is ready to offer what you deserve, world class quality Handpans with fair prices and rather short waiting time. For more information please visit our available instruments page or send us an inquiry on the Order page. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to ask, you may contact us via the contact form below or send us an email to [email protected].

 

Stay tuned😊

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Handpan vs tongue drum

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Handpan vs tongue drum

Handpan vs tongue drum

Handpan or togue drum? This is one of the most frequently asked questions that we face every day, many people want to know what are the differences between these two instruments and which one fits their needs better. In this article, we are going to provide some points in this regard.

Basically, in spite of some similarities, they are two totally different musical instruments. Pantams have more clear tone and magical bright ceramic and smooth sound with mid to high range of sustain (resonate), while tongue drums have more like a blur sound with long sustain. handpans are made with different materials being suitable for different playing styles and environment vibes including indoor fast professional playing to outdoor slow meditative styles, while tongue drums are known for only more slow and meditative playing. Moreover, Handpans can be more flexible than tongue drums, for example you can get up to 22 notes on a Handpan but the notes on tongue drums are limited.

Handpan vs tongue drum
Handpan vs tongue drum

Although Tongue drums are in general smaller in size but much heavier than Handpans (hang drums) since they are made of thicker steel sheets. Besides the Handpans standard size range is 18-23 inches, so sometimes a small Handpan (mini handpan) can be in a size of a tongue drum but still much lighter and having of course a different sound.

Due to the much more complexities in making Handpans, their price is much higher than the tongue drums, but as mentioned at the beginning, these two are totally different instruments and paying less doesn’t mean you will be able to get the same thing.

Tone Fields

This is where handpans and tongue drums become different in a noticeable way. The tone field or the notes that you play will look completely different. The handpan containing dimples and dings, with no piercing of the steel, while the steel tongue drum tongues will be cut into the steel, in a variety of shapes.

Overall, Handpans and tongue drums comparison seems like comparing apple and orange, both round and almost same shape but completely different fruits with different taste and nutrition. We want to say, if you are interested in Handpans, then you should get one and never think that you will be able to get something similar while spending less. Likewise you might be interested in tongue drums and again in this case a Handpan cannot be an alternative.

We hope you find these information useful and this article can help you decide if you are thinking between a Handpan and a tongue drum.If you know that you want a high quality Handpan with a fair price, please visit our available instrument page to see our latest available instruments for sale. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to ask, you may contact us via the contact form below or send an email to [email protected]. Stay tuned😊

Handpan vs tongue drum
E Integral

For more information, please visit our Makers Shop page or contact us at [email protected]

stay tuned for further notice, our team has some amazing news for handpan lovers.

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How to protect your handpan?

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How to protect your handpan?

Why my handpan has become oxide? Does the sun affect my handpan? Is my handpan suitable for playing under the rain? My city has hot and humid weather, can I have a handpan here? Etc. These are questions that may address your concerns after buying a handpan, in this article, we are going to answer these questions generally and give you some pieces of advice to better “protect your Handpan”.

Heat and Sun

First and foremost is the heat, although heat is vital during the different Pantams’ making processes for the metal stabilization and stress relief purposes, it can be harmful for the ready to use instrument. As everybody may know, metal absorbs heat interestingly fast, and handpans are made from metal, so they can be affected by heat and if you play your instrument out under the sun, you will notice that the handpan becomes warm and warmer and its sound starts to become unusual and weird. Therefore, it’s highly suggested not to play your Pantam in the hot and sunny weather since it can harm your instrument irreversibly. In fact “de-tuning” is one of the most common damages that can happen to your Handpan because of long-term exposure to the sun. Remember that if you leave your handpan out in the sun for a long time, wait until it becomes cool, and then play it again.

how to make a handpan

Kita Glues

It is good to know that Kita uses glues which are resistant to sun and heat (UV Resistant), so other than what is mentioned regarding the heat effect on the metal surface, there will be no problem with detaching of the bottom and top part of your Kita Pantam.

 

Cold

Then it’s cold. Generally, there is no source for the cold and the absence of heat is called cold. As it’s mentioned earlier, metals absorb heat easily and can convey this to whole surface. Although the cold negative effect is not as aggressive as the heat, but it still can cause the handpan making abnormal sound during the playing.

Humidity

Humidity is another threatening factor for the health of your Handpan. Humidity can accelerate the rusting of steel, which your handpan is made of. Humidity is much more aggressive in higher temperatures and can help the corrosion phenomenon to faster eat up your instrument. In other words, when the rusting starts on the surface of your handpan, it is the time that the metal is going away and you will first notice some orange color dots on the surface and if they develop you will see wholes. Kita Pantam suggests that you clean your handpan every time you play it with the microfiber cloth and also keep the surface oily all the time.

In conclusion, try not to leave your Handpan or play it in hot sunny days or when it is rainy. Also if you need more detail about how to clean your handpan you can read our “How to take care of your handpan” post,

After all if you have any concern regarding your Pantam care, please don’t hesitate to contact us at [email protected].

Take care of your handpan and stay tuned for further post 😊

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Handpan Scales

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Handpan/pantam scales

handpan scales

In general, we can divide the handpan scale into three different types, these are 1- Major 2-Minor 3-Flavourful in this article we are going to review these three types of handpan scales.

1-handpan scales : Major

We can define the major scale as a cheerful and happy scale, major scale handpans are relaxing and attract the player to play them often. Major scale handpans have a vast use in meditation and music therapy. These types of instruments are suitable for people who want to relax and feel joy while they are playing handpan.

2-handpan scales : Minor

Sad, classic, and sophisticated are words that you can describe minor scales with. A minor scale handpan is usually used to convey a deep feeling of mystery. If you want to feel emotion minor scale is what are you looking for but if you want to feel the joy you have to revise your decision.

3-handpan scales : flavorful

The flavorful handpan scale a combination of the minor and major scales but they are categorized individually because you can feel the role of culture in them such as middle eastern, Chinese, or Indian culture. Exotic and magical are words that suit well on a flavorful scale handpan.

Conclusion

Choosing which scale to buy or play is completely subjective and it depends on your mood and your personality. If you want more information about scales and another thing about handpan/pantam don’t hesitate to contact Us, you can also submit your order now by the kitapantam order page.

In the future, we are going to describe and discuss other pieces of information about handpan scales. Stay tuned 😊

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What is the difference between Nitraded and Stainless Steel Handpans/Pantams

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What is the difference between Nitraded and Stainless Steel Handpans/Pantams

Nitraded handpan vs Stainless handpan

stainless steel handpan

Nitraded handpan and stainless comparison

The other advantage stainless steel offers over the nitrated is being non corrosive. So basically they do not need to be covered by protective oils all the time, while nitrated instruments should always be protected by oil in order to avoid being rusted.

For better comparisons and hearing the sound and quality of kitapantam instruments made by both type of these materials, please check our YouTube channel, where many videos of different materials with different scales Pantams are uploaded.

Please contact us if you need further information or have more questions.

 Nitraded handpan vs Stainless handpan.Handpans, Pantams and hangdrums are normally made of three type of materials, raw steel, nitraded steel and stainless steel. Raw steel is among them less common because it does not offer enough stability and becomes detuned more easily.

Nitrated handpan series have more clear tones and mid-range sustain, in contrast stainless steel instruments have long-range sustain and each note when it is touched can be heard in its original, fifth and octave notes. Due to this type of characteristics, stainless steel handpans are more appropriate for slow playing melodies and are perfect for meditative and sound healing applications, while nitraded steel ones are better for fast and more professional playing.

nitraded steel handpan

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