What I learned about handpan tuning after spending time in a workshop
I've been spending time at a handpan workshop recently and wanted to share what surprised me most about the tuning process. A few things I didn't know before:
Every single note is tuned by hand with a hammer. Electronic tuners verify the pitch, but the tuner's ear makes the final call. One note can take hours to get right.
The material matters more than I thought. Nitrided steel holds up way better in humidity and needs less maintenance compared to raw steel. If you live near the ocean or in a humid climate, this is worth considering.
Two handpans of the same scale from the same maker can sound slightly different. It's not a defect — it's because every note is tuned by feel, not by machine. That slight variation is actually what gives each instrument its character.
The "ping" test — tuners strike a note and listen to how the sound decays. A clean, even sustain is the goal. If a note wobbles or cuts off early, it gets retuned until it settles.
Happy to answer questions about the process if anyone's curious. I'm not a tuner myself, but I've seen enough to share what I've learned.