Handpan is an instrument belonging to the family of percussive metal instruments. It was first derived from the Hang, developed by PANArt in 2000. This instrument, played by hand, consists of two hemispherical shells made of nitrided steel. The notes are produced by light and fast strikes on specific areas. The handpan's timbre and soothing sound have made it popular worldwide in a short time.
Handpan representation (Produced with artificial intelligence.)
History of the Handpan
The origin of the handpan lies in the Hang, invented by PANArt in Switzerland in 2000. However, the Hang was created inspired by the steelpan, an instrument based on Trinidadian steel. After PANArt ceased production of the Hang in 2013, many manufacturers worldwide began producing their own versions using the Hang's basic design. Today, there are more than 300 handpan manufacturers worldwide.
Handpan Materials and Production Processes
Handpans are generally produced from gas nitrided carbon steel. This material increases the instrument's resistance to rust while ensuring a balanced and sustained sound. However, the nitriding process can create different sound characteristics depending on many variables. Alternatively, some manufacturers try to achieve brighter tones by using unnitrided steel.
Acoustic Properties of the Handpan
Although the handpan falls into the category of percussion instruments, it offers a complex and rich sound spectrum thanks to the different vibration modes of its note fields. Each note field has a specific vibration mode, and these modes are usually arranged with frequencies in a 1:2:3 ratio. When the handpan is played, amplitude modulations called "beating" occur due to the interaction between the notes. This is an important factor that creates the handpan's unique timbre.
Handpan Acoustic Properties and Sound Analysis
The acoustic structure of the handpan is quite complex. The vibration modes of the note fields are arranged according to a 1:2:3 frequency ratio, which creates the handpan's unique harmonic sound structure. The following techniques have been used for sound analysis:
- Short-Time Fourier Transform (STFT): Analyzes the change of spectral components over time.
- Spectrogram Analysis: Visualizes frequency components to examine sound characteristics.
- Peak Detection: Helps in determining key vibration modes.
Modal synthesis method has been used for sound synthesis. Experiments have shown that at least 4-7 vibration modes must be synthesized to realistically imitate a handpan.
Handpan example demonstration video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uwEaQk5VeS4)
Global Spread and Cultural Impacts of the Handpan
The handpan has gained significant popularity thanks to YouTube and social media platforms. Notably, a video released by Hang Massive in 2011 reached millions of viewers, playing an important role in the global promotion of the instrument. In addition, festivals and community events have contributed to the development of handpan culture.
The handpan is a unique instrument with its distinct acoustic structure and timbre. Production processes and tuning techniques continue to evolve and are expected to become more standardized in the future. Furthermore, digital handpan models are also being developed to offer different musical experiences.
