Handpan types can be differentiated according to scale, tuning, size or material. All of these characteristics influence the sound and handling of the instrument, so it is worth considering them carefully before buying.
By the end of this article, you should have a good idea of which handpan type is best suited to your experience, taste and needs.
While you should consider the practical side, the most important thing is to listen to your instincts. Choose what you like best, because playing an instrument should bring you joy.
To understand handpan types first lets get to know how it is built, the parts of the handpan and their function.
The handpan is built from two round-shaped metal shells, which are joined together, reminding us of a lens or a UFO.
As the handpan is made from metal, manufacturers use special equipment (machines, tools). The last touches are made by hand using hammers of different sizes.
It is important to know this because manufacturing techniques influence the final instrument and the type of the handpan.
The Ding is the first and usually the deepest sound produced by the handpan. It is placed in the middle and is generally the only tone field that is not hollow, but rather an apex. Although there are handpans with more than one Dings as these shapes work better with the lower notes.
The tone fields are oval-shaped and you have to hit them to create resonance. In the middle of the tone fields there is a dimple. A handpan has at least seven notes, but many modern handpans have a lot more.
Originally, they were placed on the handpan’s top, but as the instrument evolved, tone fields also started populating the bottom shell to make room for more notes. The extended handpans (with extra tone fields) are called “mutants”.
The Gu is a hole at the bottom of the handpan, together with the lens shape they form a “Helmholtz rezonator”, from which the handpan’s unique sound comes out.
Playing a handpan is not limited to the tonefields. Using the body for rhythms helps to create complex percussive grooves.
The material affects the sound of the instrument, the tone color, the length of the sound decay, and thus also the possible playing technique.
Handpans are made of steel or steel alloys.
This is the original material most handpans used to be made out of. Nowadays nitrided steel is used less regularly in handpans due to their lower resistance to oxidation and higher maintenance requirements.
It produces a clear sound and is a good percussion instrument.
The sound of the instrument is deeper, fuller, the notes linger longer, making stainless steel handpans particularly well suited for melodic and meditative music, however it is just as ideal for fast, percussive playing as well.
Stainless steel handpans are simple to play, so they make a great instrument for beginners and professionals alike. These handpans require almost no maintenance.
Ember steel is a type of stainless steel, but its chemical composition and mechanical properties are different. Its name is derived from its fire-like colours and the warm atmosphere created by its sound..
Its sound is clear and long-lasting, the tones are well isolated, and its sound is more ceramic and full, warm, not metallic.
It rings longer than nitrided steel, making it ideal for slower playing because there is no silence to fill. Due to the hardening process during production, just like stainless steel handpans, these ones are also fully rust-resistant.
Although lightweight and compact, handpans in this size are generally of lower quality, with noticeably poorer sound and limited tonal depth.
Because of their small size, the sound is often overly high-pitched and thin, and the notes tend to be less stable and less reliable.
Almost no professional or well-established handpan makers produce instruments in this size, which makes mini handpans inconsistent in quality and generally unsuitable for serious playing, both for beginners and experienced musicians.
Small handpans are less common than the standard size. These however are an excellent option as they can be made stable and can be produced with almost as many tone fields as standard handpans, while remaining slightly more compact.
This smaller size makes them particularly suitable for players with a smaller stature or shorter hands, as all notes can be reached more comfortably, including those on the lower shell.
Additionally, certain handpan scales can only be built reliably in this size, making 50 cm handpans unique and highly valued despite their rarity.
The 53 cm handpan is the most widely known and most common size; around 95% of all handpans are produced in this size.
You can find almost all existing scales and handpan types in this format, and it offers a rich, full, and long-sustaining sound, making it ideal for deep, immersive playing.
Standard handpans usually have the highest number of notes, some of which are placed on the bottom.
The main disadvantage of this size is its larger reach: for players with shorter hands, it can be more difficult to access the farther notes, especially on the lower shell.
There are countless handpan types, differentiated by their tuning and scales.
The sound and vibration created by handpans depending on their scales are so different that this may be the most important characteristic of a handpan.
If you like the scale, you will enjoy playing, regardless of how difficult it is to play or how long its sound lasts.
Each handpan scale has a specific defining mood, but in most cases, you can create a variety of different atmospheres with them. Depending on your playing technique, a scale can sometimes be both cheerful and melancholic at the same time. Others are definitely joyful, uplifting, otherworldly, mystical, exotic or Middle Eastern.
Nowadays, manufacturers give specific names to their handpans depending on the mood of the scale, and some of them create their own sound sequences, too. We, at MAG Instruments, did the same when we produced “Unibearsum”, a custom scale developed in collaboration with Norbert Pável.
However, these fantasy names can be classified into specific musical scales according to music theory, which recognises minor, major and mixed scales.
The mood of minor scales is usually melancholic, emotional, tragic, mystical, sad, dreamy or even hopeful, tender or sweet.
Examples: Celtic Minor, Kurd, Amara, Annaziska, Pygmy, Aeolian, Integral, Akebono and Mystic scales.
You can create a cheerful, energetic, happy or positive atmosphere with handpans featuring major scales.
Examples: Ashakiran, Aegean or the Unibearsum scale.
These scales are usually a blend of major and minor scales.
The mood of mixed scales is often mystical and dreamlike, and they frequently sound exotic and oriental to our ears.
Examples: Harmonic Minor, Hijaz.
