Owner's Guide
To begin
What you have welcomed is less an instrument than a quiet hour, given shape.
There is no need to play it well.
Rest your hands on it, and listen to a single note. That is already enough.
May this guide keep you gentle company through the first days.
Holding it
There is only one correct posture:
the one in which your shoulders have let go.
On the floor, or a low chair
Sit cross-legged on the floor, or on a slightly low chair. When your knees sit just above your hips, the instrument settles naturally.
On your lap, centre note up
Rest it on your thighs with the central dome, the Ding and the deepest note, facing up. Tilt it a touch toward you, and every note falls within reach.
Low notes toward your body
As a rule, the lower notes sit closest to you. Back straight, shoulders soft. If it slips, a thin cloth on the knees is all you need.
Standing? Use a stand
For playing upright, a dedicated stand is best. Set the rim at the height of a relaxed, open hand.
Touching it
Less a strike than a touch, and a release.
The sound is born the instant you let go.
Let the hand go soft
A supple wrist, fingers in their natural curve. A tense hand makes only tense sounds. Begin with one deep breath.
Touch, then release at once
Tap lightly with the fingertip or the pad of the finger, and lift away as if from hot sand. That small rebound is what makes the steel sing. Press and hold, and the voice stops.
Thumbs, and the others
Near notes with the side of the thumb; far notes with the index or middle finger. There are no rules. The finger that reaches most naturally makes the best sound.
Two or three notes, at first
Begin by wandering slowly between two or three neighbouring notes. A handpan is tuned to a single scale, so every path through it is already music.
Silence is part of the music
Do not hurry to fill the space between notes. The time in which a tone fades belongs to the instrument too.
Caring for it
A handpan is an instrument of steel.
A few small habits will guard its voice for years.
A wipe after playing
When you finish, wipe the whole surface gently with a dry microfiber cloth. Oils and salts from the hands are the first cause of rust. Washing your hands before playing helps, too.
Away from sun and heat
Strong sunlight, or a car in summer, is the one thing to avoid. Heat expands the steel and can pull the tuning. Choose shade, and moving air.
Away from rain and damp
Avoid rainy days outdoors and humid storage. If it takes on droplets, dry them at once with a soft cloth.
Let it rest in its case
Between plays, return it to the included case, but never damp. Let it dry fully before you close the lid.
A thin coat of oil, sometimes
A little handpan oil (Phoenix or similar) on a cloth, spread thin, excess wiped away. Every few weeks to months is enough, sooner in humid seasons or if you spot a freckle of rust.
No harsh chemicals
Alcohol, detergents and abrasives damage the finish. A dry cloth and the proper oil: that is all it ever needs.
For your practice
Played freely, it is already a beautiful instrument.
But on the day you find yourself wanting to learn a song,
there is Notepan: a sheet-music app made for the handpan,
with more than 400 tabs gathered by players around the world.
Write to us
When something puzzles you, and when a note delights you,
send us a line. We answer personally, and we are always here.