Steps to Build Your Own Handpan

Feeling like a mad scientist in the kitchen except your ingredients are steel, tunes, and a dash of patience? Let's cook up a handpan!

Ever been hooked by a handpan's dreamy sound and looks? This unique instrument, born from a recent innovation, has taken the world by storm. From musicians and music therapists to sound enthusiasts, the handpan's allure transcends backgrounds and experiences.

This post takes you through turning steel into magical handpans. Picture making a handpan that has its own cool sound. For pros or newbies, learning to make handpans opens new doors.

For those who are eager to dive into playing without the wait, exploring handpans from reputable builders like The Sound Artist offers an immediate passage into the mesmerizing world of handpan music.

Handpan making is full of different styles, showing off each builder's vibe. Some focus on hand-shaping for a closer bond with their work. Others use tools like air hammers for quicker, consistent results.

Where you are can affect your style, based on what tools and materials you've got. This mix sparks new ideas and sounds in the handpan scene.

Aspiring handpan makers can embark on their learning journeys through various resources. Books like "Handpan: Theory & Practice" by Johannes Fischer give detailed guidance. Websites such as Echo Harmonic and the Handpan School offer helpful guides and forums. Join workshops or online groups to learn from pro builders. Also check out online courses on Udemy or Skillshare.

These courses often provide in-depth video tutorials and downloadable resources, led by experienced handpan builders. Additionally, vibrant online communities like the Handpan Forum and the Handpan Builders Guild offer valuable peer-to-peer learning and support, fostering a sense of connection and knowledge exchange within the handpan making community.

Now that we've covered the wealth of resources at your fingertips, let's dive into the historical roots of handpan making to understand how this art form has evolved over time.

Brief History of Handpan Making

• DIY handpan creation began in 2011: While the idea of instruments using tuned steel pans existed earlier, how to make a handpans as a do-it-yourself endeavor is generally attributed to the year 2011. This marked the beginning of a rapid growth in popularity for both playing and building handpans. If you're fascinated by the evolution of handpan music but not ready to build one yourself, discovering the curated collection at The Sound Artist might just be the next best step.
• Evolution of handpan building techniques over time: Over the past decade, handpan building techniques have undergone significant refinement and innovation. Builders have continuously explored new approaches to shaping, tuning, and heat treatment, leading to advancements in sound quality and overall craftsmanship.

Preparing the Steel

• Selecting 1.0mm thick, 53cm diameter stainless steel shells: Most handpan builders utilize 1.0mm thick, 53cm diameter stainless steel shells. This specific choice is based on several factors, including:
• Workability: The 1.0mm thickness offers a balance between being malleable enough for shaping and maintaining sufficient structural integrity.
• Sound characteristics: The thickness contributes to the overall tonal character and sustain of the handpan.
• Durability: Stainless steel is known for its resistance to corrosion and wear, making it a suitable material for long-lasting instruments.
• Benefits of using stainless steel for handpans:
• Durability: As mentioned earlier, stainless steel is resistant to corrosion and wear, ensuring the handpan's longevity.
• Sound characteristics: Stainless steel contributes to the bright and clear sound that is often associated with handpans.
• Workability: While possessing good strength, stainless steel remains malleable enough to be shaped and formed into the desired handpan form.

While selecting the perfect steel is complex, choosing a handpan shouldn't be. The Sound Artist offers a variety of handcrafted handpans, each with its unique sound characteristics, ready to find its home with a passionate player like you.

• Transforming flat steel into a bowl shape using hand sinking, air hammers, or mechanical means: The process of transforming flat steel sheets into the handpan's signature bowl shapes can be achieved through various methods:
• Hand sinking: This traditional technique involves using specialized hammers and anvils to manually shape the steel. It requires considerable skill and experience to achieve the desired form and consistency.
• Air hammers: These power tools utilize compressed air to deliver rapid strikes to the steel, allowing for more efficient shaping compared to hand sinking.
• Mechanical presses: Some builders utilize specialized mechanical presses to form the steel into the desired bowl shapes. This approach offers greater consistency and repeatability but requires significant investment in equipment.

Templating and Shaping

• Laying out the chosen scale to optimize sound clarity: This crucial stage involves meticulously laying out the chosen musical scale on the pre-shaped steel pans. Precise placement of notes is essential for achieving optimal sound clarity and preventing unpleasant dissonances. Builders employ specialized tools and templates to ensure accurate scale placement.
• Using tools for shaping, and ensuring note layouts prevent dissonance: Various tools are utilized for shaping the individual fields and dimples on the handpan. These tools may include hammers, mallets, and specialized shaping dies. Careful attention is paid to ensure the note layouts prevent the creation of dissonant sounds when played together.
• Adding dimples for unique note character: Dimples are small indentations strategically placed on the handpan surface. They play a crucial role in shaping the character and sound of individual notes. The size, depth, and placement of dimples are carefully considered to achieve the desired tonal qualities. By strategically manipulating these elements, builders can influence the brightness, warmth, and overall character of each note. If crafting dimples and shaping steel sounds daunting, but you're captivated by the unique note characters of the handpan, consider selecting a professionally made instrument from The Sound Artist, where every detail is meticulously crafted for you.
• Creating borders with air hammers for note isolation and tambral character: Borders are raised edges that define the playing surface of each note on the handpan. These are typically created using air hammers, which allow for precise control over the shaping and consistency of the borders. Borders contribute to note isolation, preventing unwanted interaction between adjacent notes, and also influence the overall tambral character (tonal quality) of the instrument. By controlling the height and sharpness of the borders, builders can influence the sustain, attack, and overall articulation of each note.

Heat Treatments

• Using torches, kilns, ovens, or furnaces for controlled heating and cooling: Heat plays a vital role in influencing the sound and stability of the handpan. Builders employ various tools for controlled heating and cooling, including torches, kilns, ovens, or furnaces. The specific choice of equipment depends on the desired temperature range and the size of the handpan.
• Impact of heating on timbre, stability, and sustain: The application of heat treatments significantly affects the handpan's sound characteristics in several ways:
• Timbre: Heating can alter the tonal quality of the handpan, influencing its brightness, warmth, and overall character. By carefully controlling the heating process, builders can achieve a wide range of tonal variations, from bright and clear to warm and mellow.
• Stability: Heat treatment helps to stabilize the metal, reducing the risk of the handpan going out of tune over time. This is crucial because the constant vibrations from playing can cause the metal to settle and slightly alter the pitch of the notes.
• Sustain: The duration of each note's resonance (sustain) can also be impacted by heat treatments. Careful manipulation of heating techniques allows builders to fine-tune the sustain of individual notes, creating a more balanced and cohesive soundscape across the entire instrument.
• The concept of metal's 'memory' and reshaping: Metal exhibits a property known as "memory." When heated and cooled in a controlled manner, the metal can "remember" its new shape. Builders utilize this phenomenon to refine the handpan's form and contribute to its overall tuning process. By strategically applying heat to specific areas, they can make minute adjustments to the curvature of the note fields, influencing the pitch and tonal characteristics of the notes.

Understanding metal's 'memory' and mastering heat treatments is an art in itself. For those who wish to experience the magic of a perfectly tuned handpan without the technical challenges, The Sound Artist offers finely crafted instruments, each treated with care and precision.

Tuning Process

• Description of the complexity of tuning handpans: Tuning a handpan is a meticulous and iterative process, often described as the heart of handpan making. It requires a high degree of skill, experience, and a keen ear. Unlike string instruments where the tuning pegs are readily accessible, tuning a handpan involves physically shaping the metal to adjust the pitch of each note. This process demands a deep understanding of the relationship between the metal's form and its resulting sound.
• Integration of shaping with tuning involving hundreds of hammer strikes: Tuning and shaping are deeply intertwined in how to make a handpans. Hundreds of precisely placed hammer strikes are applied to specific areas of the handpan, gradually adjusting the pitch of each note until they resonate in harmony with the chosen scale. This delicate process requires a combination of physical dexterity, aural perception, and an intimate understanding of the instrument's unique characteristics.
• The importance of a sharp ear and critical listening for precise tuning: A sharp ear and critical listening skills are essential for achieving precise tuning in handpans. Builders rely on their ability to discern subtle pitch variations and adjust their hammering techniques accordingly. This involves not only matching individual notes to a reference pitch but also ensuring they blend harmoniously together across the entire scale, creating a cohesive and pleasing soundscape.

Joining and Final Adjustments

• Adhering the two halves with chosen adhesives: Once tuned and shaped, the two halves of the handpan are carefully adhered together using specialized glues. The chosen adhesive needs to be strong, durable, and resistant to the vibrations generated during playing. Builders often choose epoxies specifically formulated for metal bonding, ensuring a long-lasting and secure connection.
• Retuning after gluing - ensuring perfect harmony through the soundhole: After the adhesive cures, the handpan may require further adjustments to ensure all notes remain in perfect harmony. This fine-tuning process often involves accessing the interior of the handpan through the soundhole to make precise adjustments to the note fields using specialized tools. This meticulous process ensures that the handpan sings as a unified instrument, with each note resonating in perfect harmony with the others.
• Applying final touches such as etching logo, trimming, polishing, and applying protective wax: With the tuning and adhesion complete, the final touches are applied to personalize and protect the handpan. These may include:
• Etching a logo: Many builders personalize their instruments by etching their logo or signature onto the handpan's surface, adding a unique touch and reflecting their craftsmanship.
• Trimming and polishing: Any rough edges are carefully trimmed and the handpan is polished to achieve a smooth and visually appealing finish. This not only enhances the instrument's aesthetics but also contributes to a more comfortable playing experience.
• Applying protective wax: A coat of protective wax is applied to the handpan to help prevent corrosion and maintain its visual appeal over time. This final layer safeguards the instrument from environmental factors and ensures its longevity.

Alright, with all the nitty-gritty details of how to make a handpans behind us, let’s hit the final note and see how these magnificent instruments are brought to their melodious conclusion.

Concluding Steps

After the final touches are applied, the handpan undergoes multiple tunings and a final blending process. This ensures that all notes resonate together harmoniously and the overall sound quality is balanced and pleasing. The builder meticulously re-evaluates each note's pitch, making minute adjustments using specialized tools and their trained ear.

Additionally, a technique called "blending" involves adjusting specific note fields to create a smooth and cohesive soundscape across the entire instrument. This final stage requires a keen ear and a deep understanding of how the different notes interact with each other, ensuring the handpan sings with a unified and captivating voice.

Once the builder is satisfied with the sound and craftsmanship, the handpan undergoes a final inspection to ensure everything is in order. This includes checking for any visual imperfections, tuning stability, and overall playability. The handpan is then carefully packaged and prepared for delivery to its new home.

Creating a handpan is a journey of dedication, passion, and artistic expression. For many, the journey might well begin with embracing the music created by others. At The Sound Artist, we take pride in offering handpans that embody this journey, ready to deliver enchanting melodies to your doorstep. Whether you're captivated by the world of handpans as a listener or a potential builder, we encourage you to explore further.

Consider purchasing a pre-made instrument from a reputable builder, allowing you to experience the joy of playing this unique instrument. Alternatively, if the creative spark within you ignites, you can embark on your own handpan-making journey, guided by the wealth of resources available. Whether you choose to play, build, or simply appreciate the unique sound of the handpan, remember that the music lies within.

Conclusion

The journey from raw steel to a captivating handpan is a testament to human ingenuity, artistic expression, and the power of sound. This blog post has served as a glimpse into this fascinating world, unveiling the intricate processes and dedication that go into crafting these unique instruments.

As you've learned, the handpan-making process is a blend of science, art, and personal passion. Builders from various backgrounds and locations bring their own creative approaches and techniques to the table, fostering a diverse and innovative landscape. If you're captivated by the handpan's allure, remember, the exploration doesn't end here.

Embrace the Music Within:

• Pursue the path of a player: Seek out reputable handpan builders and acquire an instrument that resonates with your musical spirit. Delve into the world of handpan playing, exploring different techniques and discovering the joy of creating your own music.
• Embark on a creative journey: If the desire to create sparks within you, consider venturing into the realm of handpan building. Resources abound to guide you, from informative books and online tutorials to inspiring communities of experienced builders. Remember, the handpan-making process is a marathon, not a sprint. Embrace the challenges, celebrate the small victories, and be patient with yourself as you hone your skills and knowledge.
• Become an advocate for the handpan: Share your passion with others, raise awareness about this captivating instrument, and contribute to the ever-growing handpan community. Whether you play, build, or simply appreciate the handpan's unique sound, remember that the music lies within.

And that’s a wrap on our handpan-making odyssey! Ready to explore where your newfound knowledge might lead you in the melodious realm of handpans?

Whether you're ready to explore the path of a player or simply want to immerse in the beautiful sounds of handpans, The Sound Artist offers both exquisite handpans and enlightening live lessons for enthusiasts of all levels.

Thank you for embarking on this journey into the world of handpan making. I hope this exploration has ignited your curiosity and appreciation for these captivating instruments. If you're interested in acquiring a handpan, numerous reputable builders offer a variety of instruments to suit your preferences. You can explore online marketplaces or visit individual builder websites to discover the perfect handpan for you.

Additionally, if you have a unique vision for a custom handpan, feel free to reach out to experienced builders to discuss the commission process and bring your musical dreams to life. Remember, the handpan community welcomes all who are passionate about the music within.