Tuesday 25 November 2014

Hang Drum - Hand Drum

I've just discovered a new musical instrument that when played emits the most beautiful music.
Why had I not heard of this before? 
I love alternative music like the pan flute, chanting monks, among others and now I love the hang drum.
When I first saw the hang (pronounced "hung"), it reminded me of an upside down steel pan,  and when I researched it, it is an offspring of the steel pan.

 Steel Pan drums
Image borrowed from Google images
 
Image borrowed from Google images
Created by Felix Rohner and Sabina Schärer in Bern, Switzerland, it is constructed from two half shells of deep drawn, nitrided steel which are glued together along the rim leaving a hollow inside....it resembles an UFO.

According to Wikepedia, "The top ("Ding") side has a center 'note' hammered into it and seven or eight 'tone fields' hammered around the center. The bottom ("Gu") is a plain surface that has a rolled hole in the center with a tuned note that can be created when the rim is struck."
Using the same basic physical principles as the steel pan, it has been modified in such a way to act as a Helmholtz resonator.

Hang Drum - Hand Drum
 Image borrowed from Wikipedia

It is the result of many years of research on the steel pan and other instruments.
The name Hang  is the Bernese German word for hand....thus the hand drum.
Since its creation in 2000, PANArt has emphasized that it is not a drum but a sound sculpture.


 Image borrowed from Google images
It is a registered trademark of PANArt Hangbau AG....I think I want one.
They're pretty pricey, and since they're hand produced, they're not that many made in any given year.
I guess I will have to make the best of my situation, and would you know it,..... yes there's an app for that.

 Image borrowed from Google images

Naturally, when one becomes an owner of the hang instrument, it becomes a friend forever, and you never let it go, therefore it's incredibly "iffy" to find one for resale.
In the meanwhile I will add its beautiful music to my collection.

The music is hauntingly beautiful, enchanting, calming and surreal all in one....is this possible....YESSSS!



Please watch and enjoy...http://youtu.be/xk3BvNLeNgw?list=PL269B827E21C20BAD
Here is the website.http://www.hang-music.com/hang.php

Update: The company no longer creates the Hang instrument, they are now making the Gubal, an instrument that's similar but yet different. 



9 comments:

  1. Very interesting. I'd never heard of them.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'd never heard of them either until this week....aren't they incredible?

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  2. oh this is great! thanks for sharing, I'd never heard of a hang drum before

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I love sharing information....glad you liked the post.

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  3. Actually as a sometimes pan player I found this so interesting. I think I will look for the app

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. A"sometimes pan player" is waaaay better than no pan player at all.
      I wish I could learn how to play the pan but now that I've seen the hand drum, my interest has moved in that direction instead.

      Delete
  4. A completely new instrument to me.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. So unique but yet so simple....fits me to a T.

      Delete
  5. I wanted to thank you for this excellent read!! I definitely loved every little bit of it. I have you bookmarked your site to check out the new stuff you post. handpan

    ReplyDelete

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