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You just got your first handpan. Now what?

G Major Gen 3 Video 1

It took you days, weeks, or maybe even months to find and get your very own handpan in your own hands. But now what!? Yes, the handpan really is as intuitive as just tapping on the notes of the drum and playing what comes to mind. However, there are some basic entry-level techniques which can really help accelerate the learning curve for development. 

Short answer: You need to learn the basics which means starting with the handpan scale and then learning rhythms and the difference between them. Once you've committed to memory a series of hand movements and patterns, you're as good as any other handpan player who claims himself a professional because remember, the handpan is all about improvisation. 

 

Long answer (for the sake of writing a blog):

 

1. The scale
Each handpan is tuned to a particular scale. Whether that's a 9 Note in D Celtic Minor or an 8 Note in F Akebono Minor it doesn't make much of a difference. What matters is the way you play the scale using both hands. Easier shown than described, you play the scale by starting with one hand playing the middle 'Ding' note of the handpan. Immediately following this, you find the second largest note of the circle of notes which surround the Ding note and you play this with your second hand. With your first hand, then play the next (third largest) note to the left, followed then by your second hand again but on the (fourth largest) note to the right. Progress up the handpan in this pattern until you arrive at the higher (smallest) note. You've now officially played the scale of your handpan (going up!). If you can then repeat this pattern but in reverse, starting from the top, you can then complete the scale going downwards too.

By putting the two upwards and downwards patterns together, you've already been able to excel past playing just the scale of the handpan but now using the scale to actually create a melody; technically, when playing every note of the handpan scale up and down, you are playing somewhat of an arpeggio (notes of the scale chord) which are effective melodic patterns for accompanying other instruments or even being soloistic anyway - so well done! How's your rhythm? It doesn't matter. Playing the handpan involves a multitude of rhythms on the same and different notes which generally are improvised by the player in order to play a song. You don't need to know music theory, but if you can get your head round these basic concepts of rhythm, you'll be making melodies in no time! i) A 'Crotchet' or 'One Beat' rhythm is essentially what it feels like to tap a beat every second. Note that you may play a Crotchet/One Beat rhythm faster or slower than one per second but for now and for reference, try tapping once per second. ii) Try playing the same but this time at double time i.e. two beats per second. Once mastered, and my maintaining the same speed for both the one and two beats per second, you'll be able to improvise a combination of these two rhythms around the handpan to create some awesome melodies. 


Each handpan is tuned to a particular scale. Whether that's a 9 Note in D Celtic Minor or an 8 Note in F Akebono Minor it doesn't make much of a difference. What matters is the way you play the scale using both hands. Easier shown than described, you play the scale by starting with one hand playing the middle 'Ding' note of the handpan. Immediately following this, you find the second largest note of the circle of notes which surround the Ding note and you play this with your second hand. With your first hand, then play the next (third largest) note to the left, followed then by your second hand again but on the (fourth largest) note to the right. Progress up the handpan in this pattern until you arrive at the higher (smallest) note. You've now officially played the scale of your handpan (going up!). If you can then repeat this pattern but in reverse, starting from the top, you can then complete the scale going downwards too. By putting the two upwards and downwards patterns together, you've already been able to excel past playing just the scale of the handpan but now using the scale to actually create a melody; technically, when playing every note of the handpan scale up and down, you are playing somewhat of an arpeggio (notes of the scale chord) which are effective melodic patterns for accompanying other instruments or even being soloistic anyway - so well done!How's your rhythm? It doesn't matter. Playing the handpan involves a multitude of rhythms on the same and different notes which generally are improvised by the player in order to play a song. You don't need to know music theory, but if you can get your head round these basic concepts of rhythm, you'll be making melodies in no time! i) A 'Crotchet' or 'One Beat' rhythm is essentially what it feels like to tap a beat every second. Note that you may play a Crotchet/One Beat rhythm faster or slower than one per second but for now and for reference, try tapping once per second. ii) Try playing the same but this time at double time i.e. two beats per second. Once mastered, and my maintaining the same speed for both the one and two beats per second, you'll be able to improvise a combination of these two rhythms around the handpan to create some awesome melodies. 

2. How's your rhythm?
It doesn't matter. Playing the handpan involves a multitude of rhythms on the same and different notes which generally are improvised by the player in order to play a song. You don't need to know music theory, but if you can get your head round these basic concepts of rhythm, you'll be making melodies in no time! i) A 'Crotchet' or 'One Beat' rhythm is essentially what it feels like to tap a beat every second. Note that you may play a Crotchet/One Beat rhythm faster or slower than one per second but for now and for reference, try tapping once per second. ii) Try playing the same but this time at double time i.e. two beats per second. Once mastered, and my maintaining the same speed for both the one and two beats per second, you'll be able to improvise a combination of these two rhythms around the handpan to create some awesome melodies.

 

Did you find this interesting/useful? Leave us a comment below! Also, don't hesitate to contact us should you have any questions! Check out our other FREE handpan tutorials below:

An Introduction to Sheet Music for the Handpan
Lesson 0.1 / The Touch Technique
Lesson 0.2 / The Handpan Scale
Lesson 1 / Simplified Handpan Notation (Sheet Music for the Handpan)
Lesson 2 / Quaver (Half-Beat) Rhythms
Lesson 3 / Dynamics
Lesson 4 / Accents
Lesson 5 / Semiquaver (1/4 Beat) Rhythms
Lesson 6 / Harmonics & Pitch Pends
Lesson 7 / Percussive Slaps
Lesson 8 / Walking the Hands
Lesson 9 / Chords
Lesson 10 / Triplet Rhythms
Lesson 11 / Ghost Notes
Lesson 12 / Rewriting the Ding
Lesson 13 / Dotted Rhythms

Also, learn these pieces on the handpan! (notation provided):
The Last of the Mohicans (1992 film)
Sam Maher's New York Subway Piece

 

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