How Handpans Are Made and Why They Sound So Magical

I’m fascinated by handpans’ physics – how they’re made, their resonance, dynamics, harmonics, and differences between pans. Do you want to discover how and what materials are used to make handpans? How can they sing like an angel wrapped in velvet while also rocking some wicked beats? Then, read my article.

The Structure of a Handpan

The diameter of most handpans ranges from 45 to 60 centimeters. They are composed of raw/regular steel, nitrided steel, or stainless steel in a variety of thicknesses and grades, and are made up of two convex (domed) shells cemented together. The handpan is produced by gluing together two convex (domed) shells.

The Shells

The shells begin as flat sheets that can be hand sunk, spun or rolled, deep drawn, or hydroformed to shape.

Hand sunk shells are created using a manual or pneumatic/air hammer. It takes thousands of strikes to form a single half-shell, which takes a lot of time and effort, but many producers prefer this process because it is true to the original steelpan production. It not only eliminates the need for an expensive kit, but it also gives each instrument a totally distinct tone and design.

Next, we have spun shells. These are manufactured by clamping a metal disk to a lathe and spinning it round. A special tool known as a buck is then held against it, beginning in the center of the disc and gradually moving outward, shaping the metal into the bowl/shell shape while it continues to spin round.

Initial handpans were constructed from deep-drawn shells. This process uses a custom-made mould in the shape of a shell and rings, which is put into a massive industrial deep drawing press and stamps out the shape in seconds. Deep drawing has the advantage of allowing additional material from the disc to slide between the rings, resulting in the shape of the shell being produced not only by stretching the material, but also by the extra material flowing in, assuring even thickness distribution and consistent quality. If you’re looking for a great example of deep-drawn craftsmanship, Cosmos Handpan is a brand to check out – they’re known for precision shaping and consistent tonal quality.

The Notes

We now have the shells; it’s time to add some nice music. The most difficult and time-consuming aspect of the procedure is creating and tuning each individual note. The ‘holy grails’ for producers include clarity, stability, and depth of tone, distinct harmonics and overtones, rich resonance, and zero crosstalk. By the way, Cosmos Handpan have truly excelled in this—their instruments are known for crystal-clear sound, tuning stability, and rich overtones.

The less force or hammer hits you apply to the tuning procedure, the better. Many craftsmen kiln-bake their pans multiple times during this stage to assure tuning endurance. The makers at Cosmos have achieved an almost perfect balance of deep resonance and zero crosstalk, making their handpans true musical works of art.

On the top shell, the central note is known as the Ding. This is the lowest and most resonant note, and the majority of them are convex, however some manufacturers favor concave models. These two forms are colloquially nicknamed ‘outies’ and ‘innies’, similar to belly buttons. With the proper technique and enough friction you can make the Ding ring like a singing bowl.

The ‘shoulder’, the flat area immediately surrounding the Ding, may generate a wide range of percussive sounds as well as higher 5th and octave harmonics with some practice and technique.

Around the Ding shell, there are anywhere from 6 to 15+ concave notes that resemble dimples. These are surrounded by ‘tone fields’, which are flat sections around the notes that generate greater percussive aspects, similar to the Ding’s shoulder. A scale is formed when the notes are played in a left-right-left-right rhythm, from the largest (deepest) to the smallest (highest). Handpan scales, unlike many other instruments, may be both major and minor and encompass almost every genre of music, from jazz to reggae, melancholy, meditative, Celtic, and Middle Eastern.

Finally, on the bottom shell, there is a tuned sound hole known as the Gu, which provides a bassy note. The sounds are created by cupping the hand to produce ‘Helmholtz resonance’, which results in a ‘wind throb’ effect akin to blowing over the top of an empty bottle.

The Frequency

The handpan is an idiophone, which is an instrument that produces sound largely by the vibration of the entire instrument rather than the strings, air, or membranes. Most handpans are tuned to 440Hz (Hertz, which is the frequency of sound waves), but there are also 432Hz pans, which do not jam with 440Hz pans but sound fantastic.

So There You Have It

A simple overview of the various sounds that a handpan may generate. They can sing like no other instrument on the planet thanks to their high quality material, shell construction and tuning, creator expertise, and a touch of enchantment.