| Hang | PANArt’s specific hand-played steel instrument, developed in Bern, Switzerland |
| Handpan | Broader instrument category covering similar tuned steel instruments made by different manufacturers |
| Other Terminology | Pantam (alternative regional term); “Hang drum” (informal search term, not a technical instrument name) |
| Classification | Idiophone (Directly Struck) / Tuned Steel Percussion Instrument |
| Hang’s Place of Origin | Bern, Switzerland |
| Hang’s Inventors | Felix Rohner and Sabina Schärer (PANArt) |
| Hang’s Invention Year | 2000 (Introduced publicly at Frankfurt Musikmesse in 2001) |
| Primary Materials | Hang: PANArt’s nitrided Pang steel; handpans: nitrided steel, stainless steel, and other treated steels |
| Tuning System | Fixed note arrangements and scales; tuning frequencies and interval choices vary by maker and model |
| Key Components | The Ding (central note), the Gu (lower resonance opening), and surrounding tone fields |
| Playing Method | Light strikes with the hands, thumbs, and fingers; conventional mallets are generally avoided |
| Acoustic Principles | Vibrating tuned steel tone fields, sympathetic resonance, and Helmholtz resonance of the enclosed air cavity |
The Hang is a hand-played steel instrument developed by Felix Rohner and Sabina Schärer of PANArt in Bern, Switzerland, in 2000. Its rounded body and individually tuned metal tone fields produce sustained melodic notes when struck with the fingers. The instrument helped establish a wider family now commonly called handpans. Although the two names are sometimes used interchangeably, Hang refers specifically to PANArt’s instrument, while handpan describes similar instruments produced by different makers.
The term pantam is also used for this broader family, particularly in some regional handpan communities. Another common expression, “Hang drum,” appears in online searches but is not the instrument’s proper technical name. PANArt identifies Hang as its own registered name and describes the instrument as a sound sculpture. The company explains this distinction in its account of the Hang’s name and history.
Both the original Hang and later handpans combine percussion and melody. Their shaped steel surfaces contain several tuned notes, allowing players to develop rhythmic patterns, short melodies, and harmonies without conventional keys or strings. Instrument sizes, note layouts, materials, and playing characteristics now vary considerably among makers.
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The Bern Origin Story: From Steelpan to Hang
The Hang emerged from PANArt’s work with tuned steel instruments in Bern, Switzerland. Felix Rohner had experience constructing and tuning steelpans, the pitched percussion instruments developed in Trinidad and Tobago. PANArt was established as a steelpan manufacturing company in 1993, and Sabina Schärer joined its work in 1995. Their experiments with formed and surface-hardened steel eventually produced a material they called Pang.
A further influence came from the ghatam, a South Indian clay pot percussion instrument. In 1999, percussionist Reto Weber brought a ghatam to PANArt’s workshop. The makers began exploring whether the resonant vessel shape of the ghatam could be combined with the tuned steel surfaces developed through their earlier work.
The resulting instrument was named Hang, meaning “hand” in Bernese German. The name refers to its hand-playing technique. Rohner and Schärer developed the instrument during 2000 and introduced it publicly at the Frankfurt Musikmesse in 2001. Its construction brought together two shaped steel shells, tuned tone fields, and an opening in the lower shell that contributed to the instrument’s resonance. PANArt documents this development in its history of the Hang and Gubal.
PANArt produced different generations of the Hang and experimented with its tuning, materials, and playing characteristics. Growing demand led the workshop to restrict distribution and eventually sell instruments directly to buyers. The original Hang production period ended in 2013, as PANArt shifted toward further instruments in its Pang family, including the Gubal and related sound sculptures.
Meanwhile, other manufacturers had begun developing their own instruments using similar principles. Their products came to be described as handpans, establishing a broader category with independent designs, tunings, and construction methods. A modern handpan made by another workshop should therefore be identified by its own maker and model, rather than described as a PANArt Hang.
Anatomy of a Hang and Handpan
The familiar instrument has a rounded, lens-shaped body formed from two metal shells joined at the rim. On the upper surface, several tuned areas surround a central note. The lower surface usually contains a circular opening. PANArt established the original arrangement, although modern handpan makers have introduced different sizes, note counts, and shell designs.
The Ding and the Tone Fields
The central note is commonly called the Ding. On the original Hang, it forms a raised central area, with several tuned fields arranged around it. These surrounding tone fields are carefully shaped and adjusted so that particular vibration modes produce recognizable pitches.
Many handpan tone fields are tuned to a fundamental frequency together with two prominent higher partials, commonly an octave and a compound fifth above the fundamental. This relationship helps produce the instrument’s recognizable tonal character. The exact partial relationships vary with the instrument’s design and tuning method.
The shaped steel remains continuous across the tone fields. That construction distinguishes handpans from steel tongue drums, whose pitches are produced by individual tongues cut into the metal surface. A handpan maker tunes the vibration of shaped steel areas through forming and hammering, while a tongue-drum maker primarily controls pitch through the dimensions and tuning of the cut tongues. These differences in handpan and tongue-drum construction also affect playing response, sustain, and repair methods.
The Gu and Helmholtz Resonance
The opening in the bottom shell is called the Gu. It allows the air inside the instrument to resonate. The basic acoustic behavior is related to Helmholtz resonance, the same principle that produces a low tone when air is blown across the mouth of a bottle. The cavity and opening contribute to a low-frequency resonance, although their interaction with the steel shell depends on the design.
Players can sometimes modify this resonance by changing the opening’s effective size with a hand or by adjusting the instrument’s position against the legs. The resulting changes can produce bass pulses and wah-like effects. These effects are separate from the pitches produced by the upper tone fields.
Measurements of the Hang’s vibrating metal surfaces have also been examined in acoustic research, including studies of resonance modes and sound radiation. The Acoustical Society of America provides background on the behavior of tuned steel instruments.
Nitrided Steel vs. Stainless Steel
The original PANArt Hang was constructed using the company’s specially treated, nitrided steel. The broader handpan market now includes instruments made from nitrided steel, stainless steel, and other processed steels. Material selection influences tuning behavior, corrosion resistance, and sound, but shell thickness, heat treatment, shaping, and tuning also contribute to the result.
Nitrided Steel
Nitriding is a treatment that modifies and hardens the surface of steel. PANArt used its own Pang material in constructing the Hang, while other handpan manufacturers developed different nitrided-steel processes.
Sound Character: Nitrided-steel handpans are often associated with a defined attack and comparatively controlled sustain. These qualities can suit rhythmic playing, although the final response depends heavily on construction and tuning.
The treatment can improve resistance to certain forms of surface wear and corrosion, but it does not make the instrument completely rustproof.
Stainless Steel
Stainless steel is widely used by modern handpan makers. Its corrosion resistance and forming characteristics differ from those of nitrided steel, and manufacturers choose particular alloys and treatment methods according to their designs.
Sound Character: Many stainless-steel handpans have longer sustain and pronounced resonance, which can suit slower melodic passages. Some models also respond clearly to fast percussion patterns, so material alone should not determine the playing style.
Stainless steel generally offers better corrosion resistance, although cleaning and appropriate storage remain necessary.
The choice between these materials depends on the instrument’s actual sound, tuning stability, playing response, and maintenance requirements. Two handpans made from the same steel can sound noticeably different because of their shapes, dimensions, and tuning. The distinction also matters when buying a historical PANArt Hang: a stainless-steel handpan is not an original PANArt Hang, regardless of its visual resemblance.
The Art of Touch: Hands, Not Hammers
The Hang and most handpans are designed to respond to light, controlled strikes. Hitting the tone fields too forcefully can produce harsh sounds and may eventually affect tuning. Unlike many conventional drums, these instruments do not require strong blows to project a note.
- The Tap: The player strikes a tone field briefly with a fingertip or thumb, then releases contact so the metal can vibrate freely.
- The Ghost Note: Soft percussive strikes between tone fields or around the instrument’s shoulder add rhythmic texture without emphasizing a tuned note.
- The Tak: A sharper strike near the rim or side produces a short, high-pitched percussive sound that can be incorporated into rhythmic patterns.
Many handpans arrange their notes in a circular or alternating sequence around the central Ding. Players often alternate hands to combine melodies with rhythmic patterns, though the exact movements depend on the scale and instrument layout. Controlled wrist movement and relaxed fingers help produce a consistent sound.
Traditional handpan techniques use the hands rather than conventional drumsticks. Some modern instruments support additional techniques or specially designed accessories, but players should follow the maker’s recommendations before using anything that could damage the tone fields.
Scales: Choosing Your Tuning
Most handpans are manufactured with a fixed selection of notes that forms a particular scale or musical mode. Unlike a piano, a standard handpan cannot freely access all twelve notes of the chromatic scale. This makes certain melodic combinations readily available, while limiting modulation into other keys.
A fixed scale can be approachable for beginners, although it does not eliminate every dissonance or guarantee that all note combinations will sound equally consonant. Scale names, note counts, and pitch arrangements also vary between makers.
| Scale Name | Musical Character | Typical Use |
|---|---|---|
| Kurd (Minor) | Minor-mode sound with a familiar sequence of intervals | Versatile for melodic improvisation, accompaniment, and rhythmic patterns. D Kurd is a common handpan tuning. |
| Hijaz | Distinctive interval relationships, often including an augmented second | Useful for melodies based on Hijaz-related modes. Exact note arrangements depend on the maker. |
| Celtic (Amara) | Commonly based on a minor pentatonic arrangement | Suitable for open melodic patterns and improvisation using fewer pitch classes. |
| Pygmy | Pentatonic-style tuning with a distinctive distribution of intervals | Often used for repeated melodic figures, rhythmic improvisation, and layered patterns. |
When choosing a handpan, listen carefully to the available notes and how they relate to the Ding. The named scale is useful, but the actual note list, octave placement, and number of tone fields determine what a particular instrument can play. Instruments sharing the same scale name may still have different layouts.
Buying and Maintenance: What to Consider
Handpans need protection against excessive heat, physical impacts, and moisture. Prolonged exposure to strong sunlight or high temperatures may affect the instrument’s tuning or finish. Avoid leaving a handpan in a hot car, where temperatures can rise well beyond normal playing conditions.
Rust prevention is especially relevant for some nitrided-steel instruments. After playing, remove fingerprints and moisture with a soft, clean cloth. If the manufacturer recommends a protective oil or wax, use a product suitable for that particular steel and finish. Avoid applying household oils or abrasive cleaning products without confirming their compatibility.
Handpan communities organize workshops, performances, and festivals where players can compare instruments and techniques. Events such as HangOut UK and Griasdi in Austria have contributed to exchanges between makers and musicians. These gatherings also provide opportunities to hear different scales and construction styles before choosing an instrument.
The Development of Modern Handpans
Handpan makers continue to experiment with note layouts, lower-register instruments, alternative steels, and extended tone ranges. Some instruments now include additional notes on the bottom shell, while larger designs provide 20 or more playable tones. Pickups and microphones can also be used to amplify the sound for live performance and recording.
PANArt’s original Hang established the distinctive combination of a central Ding, surrounding tuned steel fields, and a resonant enclosed body. The later handpan category has expanded beyond that original design, with different manufacturers developing their own materials, scales, and acoustic approaches. The names remain useful distinctions: Hang identifies PANArt’s instrument; handpan identifies the wider family.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are Hang, handpan, and Hang drum the same instrument?
They are related terms, but they do not have identical meanings. Hang identifies the instrument developed by PANArt in Bern, Switzerland. Handpan is the general category for similar tuned steel instruments made by various manufacturers. “Hang drum” is an informal search expression rather than the proper name of the PANArt instrument or the broader category.
Is a handpan the same as a steelpan or steel tongue drum?
No. The steelpan, originating in Trinidad and Tobago, generally has a concave playing surface and is commonly played with mallets. A handpan typically has a convex upper shell and is played with the hands. A steel tongue drum produces its notes from cut metal tongues rather than shaped, continuous tone fields. All belong to the broader idiophone classification, but their construction and playing methods differ.
How often does a handpan need retuning?
There is no fixed retuning interval. A well-made handpan can remain in tune for many years when played gently and stored properly. Heavy impacts, excessive heat, and physical damage may change its tuning. A specialist familiar with tuned steel instruments should assess and retune individual tone fields when necessary.
Can I learn to play without music theory knowledge?
Yes. The fixed note selection makes basic improvisation approachable, and beginners can start with simple alternating-hand patterns. Understanding rhythm, scales, and intervals becomes useful as playing skills develop. The instrument still requires practice to control timing, articulation, and volume consistently.
Why do handpan prices vary so much?
Prices reflect differences in materials, shell forming, tuning quality, note count, labor, and manufacturer support. Skilled tuning requires careful adjustment of several vibration modes within each tone field. Some production stages can be mechanized, but final tuning and quality control remain important parts of the manufacturing process. Prices also differ between beginner models, custom instruments, and collectible PANArt Hangs.
