Advanced technique
Rolls, harmonics, bends, friction sounds, two instruments at once, speed, and whose playing is worth studying.
Playing and technique
How to actually play the instrument: posture, touch, tone, rhythm, extended technique and practice.
This is the largest section in the repository. It runs from where to put the instrument on your first day through to friction technique and playing two pans at once. If you are new, read Getting started in order and ignore the rest until something in your playing stops working.
The one idea that runs through all of it: the handpan is a forgiving instrument that rewards bad technique with acceptable sound. That is why it is so pleasant on day one and why so many players stall in year two. Almost every answer below is, in some form, about deliberately doing the thing the instrument does not force you to do.
Files in this section#
| File | Questions | About |
|---|---|---|
| Getting started | PLA-01 to PLA-08 | Position, stands, first practice, clean tone, timelines |
| Hand technique | PLA-09 to PLA-17 | What strikes the steel, the bounce, damping, colour, damage |
| Rhythm and musicality | PLA-18 to PLA-25 | Groove, independence, odd metres, dynamics, composing, endings |
| Advanced technique | PLA-26 to PLA-29 | Rolls, harmonics, bends, friction, two pans, speed, who to study |
| Learning and practice | PLA-30 to PLA-32 | Learning routes, teachers, practice structure, plateaus |
Contents#
Getting started#
| ID | Question | Level |
|---|---|---|
| PLA-01 | How should I hold or position the handpan when I play? | beginner |
| PLA-02 | Do I need a stand, and which type should I get? | beginner |
| PLA-03 | What is the very first thing I should practise? | beginner |
| PLA-04 | How do I get a clean, ringing note instead of a dull thud? | beginner |
| PLA-05 | Why does my handpan sound bad when I play it and good when someone else does? | beginner |
| PLA-06 | How long will it take before I sound good? | beginner |
| PLA-07 | Can I teach myself, or do I need a teacher? | beginner |
| PLA-08 | How long should I practise each day? | beginner |
Hand technique#
| ID | Question | Level |
|---|---|---|
| PLA-09 | Which part of the hand should strike the note? | beginner |
| PLA-10 | What is the bounce, and why should I never press into the steel? | beginner |
| PLA-11 | How do I strike the ding, a tone field and the shoulder differently? | intermediate |
| PLA-12 | What are ghost notes and slaps, and how do I use them? | intermediate |
| PLA-13 | What can I do with the gu and the bottom shell? | intermediate |
| PLA-14 | How do I mute and damp notes deliberately? | intermediate |
| PLA-15 | How do I use the rim and the mantle for percussive colour? | intermediate |
| PLA-16 | How do I get more volume without hitting harder? | intermediate |
| PLA-17 | Which technique mistakes can actually damage the tuning? | beginner |
Rhythm and musicality#
| ID | Question | Level |
|---|---|---|
| PLA-18 | How do I stop playing the same thing every time I sit down? | intermediate |
| PLA-19 | How do I build a groove? | intermediate |
| PLA-20 | How do I play melody and rhythm at the same time? | intermediate |
| PLA-21 | How do I play in odd time signatures? | advanced |
| PLA-22 | How do I use dynamics and phrasing? | intermediate |
| PLA-23 | How do I improvise freely without it turning to mush? | intermediate |
| PLA-24 | How do I actually compose a piece and remember it? | intermediate |
| PLA-25 | How do I end a piece? | intermediate |
Advanced technique#
| ID | Question | Level |
|---|---|---|
| PLA-26 | What advanced techniques are there beyond striking notes? | advanced |
| PLA-27 | How do I play two handpans at once? | advanced |
| PLA-28 | How do I play fast without losing tone? | advanced |
| PLA-29 | Which players should I study for technique, and what should I take from each? | intermediate |
Learning and practice#
| ID | Question | Level |
|---|---|---|
| PLA-30 | What are the best ways to learn, and how do I evaluate a teacher? | beginner |
| PLA-31 | How should I structure practice so that I actually improve? | intermediate |
| PLA-32 | How do I get past a plateau and stay motivated? | intermediate |
Related sections#
- 03 Anatomy and construction for what the ding, shoulder, tone field, gu and flange actually are.
- 04 Acoustics and physics for why the bounce works and where harmonics come from.
- 08 Care and maintenance for keeping the instrument in tune.
- 09 Recording and amplification for hearing what you actually sound like.
- 10 Playing with others for jams and ensembles.
- 11 Health and the body for posture, tension and strain.
Getting started on the handpan
Posture, stands, your first practice sessions, and the honest timeline from first note to sounding musical.
Hand technique
What actually touches the steel, how it touches it, and which habits produce tone rather than damage.
Learning and practice
Where to learn, how to judge a teacher, how to structure practice, and what to do when you stop improving.
Rhythm and musicality
Getting past pleasant noodling: pulse, groove, melody over rhythm, dynamics, improvisation, composition and endings.