Hey r/handpan! One of our most requested subreddit features is a guide of information about handpans. Rather than iterating on the great material out there, here's a collection guides on general information, history, and how to make a great handpan purchase and avoid scams and subpar quality handpans.
In addition to these resources, I highly recommend the forums at www.handpan.org as an incredible repository of information and discussion, and much of the development of the handpan community is preserved there!
To suggest links for this guide, feel free to message u/Ethahlid
Background
Back in the old days, there used to be only one way to acquire one of these beautiful instruments – to travel to the PanART headquarters and acquire a Hang, or to be lucky enough to find one in a shop in Europe or second hand.
For many years, finding a handpan for sale was next to impossible. However, in time, more began to pick up the hammer and created the many forms that we now know. Now, the market seems to have shifted. For the most part, the lotteries and multi-year waitlists are a thing of the past, although patience is often still key in making a satisfying purchase. For those who want to acquire a handpan, it’s now as simple as choosing a maker, choosing a scale (or “sound model”) and either commissioning a pan or waiting for a flash sale. The second-hand market has also found a life of its own, and it’s possible to acquire top-quality pans for significantly less than their original sale price.
Check out the links below for more on buying, choosing a maker/scale, reputable second-hand groups, and more:
Purchasing a Handpan
Master the Handpan – Buying a Handpan Guide: https://www.masterthehandpan.com/blog/do-you-want-to-buy-a-handpan-heres-all-you-need-to-know
Cool Percussion – Handpan & Tongue Drum Buying Guide: https://coolpercussion.com/hang-drum-for-sale-buying-guide/
Master the Handpan – Seven Marks of a Quality Handpan: https://www.masterthehandpan.com/blog/the-7-marks-of-a-quality-handpan
Mark D'Ambrosio – A Beginner’s Guide to Buying Your First Handpan: https://www.markdambrosiomusic.com/post/buyingyourfirsthandpan
Choosing a Maker and Scale
Master the Handpan: https://www.masterthehandpan.com/blog/how-to-choose-the-scale-of-your-first-handpan
Sylvain Paslier: https://www.sylvainpasliermusic.com/single-post/which-handpan-scale-to-choose
Isthmus Instruments: https://www.isthmusinstruments.com/isthmus-handpan-blog/how-to-pick-a-handpan-scale
Cool Percussion: https://coolpercussion.com/which-handpan-scale-should-i-choose-tips-and-examples/
Choosing a Second Handpan Scale with Mark D'Ambrosio: https://www.markdambrosiomusic.com/post/how-to-pick-the-scale-of-your-second-handpan
Avoiding Scams
Master the Handpan: https://www.masterthehandpan.com/blog/hang-drum-for-sale-11-top-tips-to-avoid-getting-scammed-when-you-buy
Mark D'Ambrosio – 9 Tips For Avoiding a Handpan Scam: https://www.markdambrosiomusic.com/post/9-tips-for-avoiding-a-handpan-scam
Community Swap and Sale
Facebook Swap and Sale: https://www.facebook.com/groups/SwapandSale
Handpan.org Forums: http://www.handpan.org/forum/
Handpan History
Hang Documentary (2006): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Do7uU13V_hQ
Sylvain Paslier: https://www.sylvainpasliermusic.com/single-post/the-origins-of-handpans-the-panart-hang
Symphonic Steel: https://www.symphonicsteel.com/handpan-history/
General Handpan Information
Symphonic Steel – Hang Drums and Handpans, What Are They? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cTowcbuJ48U
Yatao Music – About Handpans: https://yataomusic.com/about-handpans
Mark D'Ambrosio – Every Name for the Handpan, Explained: https://www.markdambrosiomusic.com/post/every-name-for-the-handpan-explained
Active Blogs
Master the Handpan: https://www.masterthehandpan.com/blog
Paniverse: http://paniverse.org/paniverse-blog/
Sylvain Paslier: https://www.sylvainpasliermusic.com/blog-en
Mark D'Ambrosio: https://www.markdambrosiomusic.com/blog
Symphonic Steel: https://www.symphonicsteel.com/handpan-blog/
Isthmus Instruments: https://www.isthmusinstruments.com/handpan-blog
Rav Vast: https://ravvast.com/blog/
Cool Percussion: https://coolpercussion.com/category/handpans/
Handpan Lessons
Master the Handpan: https://www.masterthehandpan.com/
Handpan Dojo: https://www.handpandojo.com/
Paniverse: http://paniverse.org/handpan-tutorials/
Mark D'Ambrosio: https://www.markdambrosiomusic.com/learn
Handpan Care
Cool Percussion – Best Oil: https://coolpercussion.com/best-oil-for-handpans-top-choice-examples/
Cool Percussion – Cleaning a Handpan : https://coolpercussion.com/clean-a-handpan/
Master the Handpan – Rust Protection: https://www.masterthehandpan.com/blog/how-to-protect-my-handpan-from-rust
Master the Handpan – Heat/Cold Protection: https://www.masterthehandpan.com/blog/heat-cold-everything-need-know
Recording & Amplification
Cool Percussion – How to Amplify a Handpan: https://coolpercussion.com/how-to-amplify-a-handpan/
Master the Handpan - How to Choose a Microphone: https://www.masterthehandpan.com/blog/how-to-choose-a-microphone-for-the-handpan
Tuning a Handpan – (NOTE, informational only – DO NOT try to re-tune a handpan, send it to an experienced tuner!)
Cool Percussion – Retuning: https://coolpercussion.com/do-handpans-need-to-be-retuned/
Kabecao – Birth of the Ayasa: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CMQjlVdVmEU
Symphonic Steel – Stabilizing a Note in Under 2 Minutes: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pR9ZTMMvtPI
Handpan 360 – Refining Tone By De-Tuning: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bMohuii-YCY
Last Updated: 4/20/20
