hey all.
got my very 1st d curd 12 handpan. looking for song suggestions for the same, since it lacks the upper 6th quite hard to find good songs, so wanted some suggestions for the same.
I’ve been watching all the free YouTube videos but curious to see if there any recommendations for paid courses that would be worth it?
I’d love to learn in person but so far, I haven’t found too many workshops/events in my country.
I’ve found one person and will be connecting once my hand pan arrives.
Thanks!
Recently i bought cheap Hluru 11 drum just to check if i will get hooked and i totally did. I couldn’ never learn and enjoy piano, guitar, flute or even turning knobs at DAW. I was always bored before could make any progress but this is instrument is amazing and i cannot stop practice at any free time.
That said i started to see limitations of my instrument. I Think the sound of small hluru is not very pleasant when played louder and the lower notes are very hard to play cleanly. I am doing research on what to buy for some better quality of sound and rather versitale to be able to play some popular songs to sing along with family but also some chilling impro in the forest. I love fast playing style that can induce trance and mimic some EDM tracks that i love. For example i love what Jonathan Neumann is doing with his Perseus drum. I also love the sound of handpan but it is not affordable instrument for me and not very portable and durable.
For now i am checking out Kosmosky and Nova Drum, both hand made but maybe there are other good quality manufacturers that You recommend? Anyone has Moozica or Meinl? Thet are avaliable to buy in the shop in my country so i could check the quality.
Also any tips on choowing scale? I want in to be most versitale because i don’t have space to have multiple instruments depending on my mood.
I'm in the process of trying to build a pan with a scale that will do well with cover songs. I think I've settled on an idea, but I want to know how it will work. For that, I was hoping to find a website or something that will let me build a custom scale. I've seen a few, but they will only do a few specific scales or allow adjustments by a few semi-tones. I'm hoping to find something that will let me fully customize the number of tone fields and specific notes for those tone fields, including bottom notes. Any suggestions?
Here is the update video to my original video showing you guys how impressed i was with the $160 "Gladfresit" stainless handpan that i ordered from temu. I practice for at least 20 mins a day everyday and some days ill get an hour of playing in if im lucky.
Ive notised a wear spot near the ding where i place my finger to get my harmonics and there is some cross talk between 4 and 10 (its been there since day 1)
I recorded this on my dji pocket 2 with the built in mic and boosted the audio in post so you guys can hear better.
From my research it looks like the Gladfresit brand is probably from the same factory as Asetman but im not 100% sure. I say that because the marketing media and logo faunt are almost identical. Its interesting because the Asetman pans are much more expensive than my Gladfresit pan was.
Overall i am happy with this instrument and it has replaced my cheap nitrited D-Kurd 10 that i got 2 years ago off amazon for $300 because it sounds leaps and bounds better.
I am currently emailing multiple different handpan makers trying to work out some kind of deal where i can make media for them in exchange for a discounted handpan because i cant even begin to think about spending $1000 on a "want" item like this.
What do you guys think?
I've always loved this instrument, and always wanted to learn an instrument but put it off.
I was wondering how hard is it to learn by yourself (i.e. without workshops etc..) just with online resources. I currently can't travel and would just be practicing at home.
Are there any recommended resources for learning more?
Also I was wondering if anyone has any expirence buying a handpan in the UK?
Thank you ,
Was the jump in price worth it for things like tuning stability, resonance, or overall playing experience?
Hey community, I have been trying to find a really high quality D Kurd extended 16-17 mutant for $3,000 or under for a few months now and am having a hard time.
Makers I am considering include: Elysian, Meraki, Aukin, Mag, Ziran, and Mudra.
Open to Asian and S Anerican makers.
I am open to other makers if there are some as high a quality, but have not been able to find anything $3,000 or less.
Leaf and Meraki are my favorites, but budget makes them not an option. I HAVE been perusing the facebook resale groups non stop and everyone selling what I'm looking for is asking 3000 euros and up.
Any suggestions? I am a professional musician with a sensitive ear, but currently gigs aren't paying enough to justify or help me afford what I want.
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.
A while ago I posted a short clip of Aria Math and someone asked for a full version. This still isn’t the full thing, but I finally put together a longer take and combined two of my hobbies - my old love for filmmaking and my new obsession with handpan.
Still learning, Hope you enjoy it!
Played on D kurd 14.
Is there a resource that clearly illustrates the timbre and characteristic differences between the various handpan materials? It's hard to tell by video the differences between nitrited, stainless, carbon, and ember steel. Thanks!
Looking for some advice from the handpan community.
I’m about to buy my first quality handpan and have narrowed it down to MAG Instruments or Ayasa.
I’m pretty set on D Kurd with 12+ notes, tuned to 440 Hz. The kind of music I want to learn and eventually create is more cinematic, emotional and atmospheric, along the lines of Hans Zimmer/Interstellar, but I also really like the rhythmic and melodic style of Fred again..
For anyone who has played or owned both MAG and Ayasa, I’d love to hear your thoughts.
How would you compare them in terms of:
- Tone and warmth
- Sustain
- Clarity and note separation
- Harmonics
- Responsiveness/dynamics
- Tuning stability
- Build quality
- Overall character of the instrument
I’m less concerned about saving money and more interested in buying something I can grow into and keep for years.
If you were choosing a D Kurd 12+ specifically for cinematic/emotional playing, which maker would you go with, and why?
Also open to recommendations on the ideal number of notes/layout. I’m currently thinking somewhere around 12–14 notes rather than a standard 9-note Kurd.
Would especially love to hear from anyone who has had the opportunity to play both MAG and Ayasa.
Anyone using a wall mount they like and can recommend one? My number of handpans is increasing and I need somewhere to put them. I think they would be fairly decorative on the wall.
There are a number available on facebook marketplace but I really wouldn't know if they are good or damaged in some imperceptible way
I recently did some workshops… and absolutely loved it. It’s been on my todo list for two years and it’s never left my mind.
I want to invest in my own so I can practice in my own time as well.
It’s seems a bit overwhelming which to choose but I’m okay with spending up to 1000€
Open to any and all recommendations and don’t mind spending a bit more for something that will be a “buy once, cry once”
Thanks so much!