I first heard handpan music when I stumbled across a YouTube video of a duo called Hang Massive: two guys playing metal UFO-like drums that sounded so magical that the recording has been viewed nearly 50 million times.
After just a minute of listening to this mystical sound, I was hooked. What on earth is this instrument? Why have I never seen or heard of it before? And more importantly, where can I buy one? The sound is mesmerizing, sonorous, mystical, and soothing. If you have a sense of rhythm and dexterity, it doesn’t seem like such a difficult instrument to master.
Find a handpan
After some research, I discovered that the handpan was originally developed by the Swiss steel drum company PANart in 2000. In the late 2000s, this small company’s original hang drum model was in such high demand that hopeful buyers sent me essays explaining why they wanted one so badly – some of them waiting months or years to buy one, even though they never even received an invitation to buy.
PANart stopped making the original Hang several years ago, but now sells a reworked instrument design, some of which sell for over $10,000 a piece on eBay. The sensation has swept Europe, with other manufacturers developing their own instruments based on the concept, and several companies in the US have developed excellent handpans that have garnered enthusiastic audiences.
One of the longest-standing manufacturers is Sara’s, based in Swannanoa, a suburb of Asheville, North Carolina. While working and living there during the COVID-19 pandemic, I reached out to Sara’s founder and maker, Mark Garner, who allowed me to visit Sara’s and shoot a slideshow showing how he and his team make these fascinating modern instruments. It was a fascinating experience to see how much craftsmanship goes into making a Sara’s handpan (as the company calls the instrument in two words) and hear what makes these instruments so special.
Finding the Key
According to Garner, there are a few reasons why the handpan has been embraced by the masses: First, each handpan is tuned to a specific key, or set of notes in a scale (more on this later), which means there’s no chance a first-time player will play the “wrong” note and thus ruin their performance. Once you get the hang of tapping your fingers to create a resonant sound, anyone can improvise. It’s easy to perfect your technique and grow as a player.
Saraz’s custom handmade models sell for around $3,000+ (depending on the style of material and the number of notes you choose). This model has an even more bell-like quality, which makes it sound better than the cheap “steel tongue drums” and imitations you’ll find on Amazon. Saraz handpans also have several other “shoulder tones” tuned to each note. These are harmonic notes, or sounds of other “frequencies.” Garner says the instrument sounds magical because it has the simplest frequency ratio possible. Every time you hit a note, you hear the fundamental, the octave, and the compound fifth. All this music theory was beyond me, but this chart on Saraz’s website helped me understand the frequencies and ratios.
Sarah’s
Garner has dedicated the past decade to developing his building and tuning process, putting in far more than the 10,000 hours said to be needed to master the full technique. He estimates that fewer than 10 percent of handpan makers today can tune their instruments’ “shoulder tones,” making Salas’ models relatively rare and sought-after.
With proper care and proper playing technique, Garner says his instruments will stay in tune for years, or even longer. Customers can also send their instruments to him for tuning if needed. Would he tune a cheap handpan you bought off Amazon? No, no one will. So, no need to worry, if you like what you see, save up your money and buy a quality instrument.
Salas founder Mark Garner uses a hammer to tweak the dimples on his steel instruments to create the popular “shoulder tone” that makes their sound so special.
Sarah Tew/CNET
Since March, when lockdowns, layoffs, and work-from-home policies swept the world, Mark says he’s seen a 60% increase in orders for instruments. During these stressful times, it’s hard to think of anything more soothing to incorporate into a self-care routine. Playing can be a relaxing outlet for emotional expression, a form of meditation through movement, and sound healing. Asheville therapist Rob Jacoby regularly uses handpans with his patients; he’s interviewed here for Salaz’s fascinating new short film series, “More Than Music.”
Select and play
Let’s say you’re obsessed with handpans and you really want to get one. You’ve saved up some money to invest in a hobby that will change your life and improve your health and wellness. You need to choose what scale you want to play in. This can be a tough choice for someone with limited musical knowledge, as handpans can be made in almost any scale.
The most popular handpan scale is by far D minor, but there are countless options to choose from. It’s a big investment, so you don’t want to choose one you absolutely won’t love. Saraz suggests picking a scale that “speaks to your heart, emotions and spirit.” If you want even more guidance, this page goes into more detail on the different considerations. Handpan musician David Charrier has some great advice here. Pantheon Steel handpan manufacturers offer an online virtual player that lets you play the notes of their different models. The naming system was confusing, as it lists the notes that different models contain, rather than directly referencing the scale.
Garner demonstrates his handpan playing techniques.
Sarah Tew/CNET
The next challenge is learning to play. Teachers are hard to find and were in demand even before COVID-19 shifted many interactions to the online space. Handpan masters like Charrier have pioneered online education, spreading the technique to budding players around the world in this way. Check out Master The Handpan, which starts with a free beginner-level lesson series. As you gain confidence, try one of Charrier’s paid masterclasses, recorded with some of the world’s most famous players.
If you’re an introvert like me, you might prefer to practice in private anyway. The great thing about video lessons is that you can practice on your own time and you can watch the lessons over and over again until you get the hang of a particular exercise.
