Do you have a favorite kind of music? For some of us, it’s the twangy guitar and warm sound of country. For others, it’s the percussive and aggressive rhythms of metal and rock music. For those of us who just like to blow off some steam and have fun, we might like pop or funk. No matter how you slice it, music is certainly and inspiring and endlessly creative part of our lives. Although most of the music we hear on the radio is limited to relatively few, familiar instruments, there are still other instruments out there that we probably don’t have as much experience with.
One of those instruments, by way of example, is the handpan.
You may be wondering: what is a handpan?
The handpan is a relatively new instrument invented in Bern, Switzerland in 2000. If you’ve never seen this instrument before, you may notice that its shape is still relatively familiar to you. That’s because the handpan (or the hang) is somewhat inspired by the steel pan drums of Trinidad and Tobago. These instruments were used in traditional African percussion music going as far back as the early 1800s!
Still, the handpan is different in a few key ways.
Unlike the traditional steel drum, the handpan has a convex rather than a concave shape.
Similar to the steel drums, the handpan has a tinny and somewhat otherworldly sound that feels warm and relaxing. While the steelpan drums might conjure up images of being on the beach and relaxing, the handpan has a somewhat more alien feel about it. As a relatively new instrument, artists are still discovering how best to use them.
Still, one group that has taken them to prominence is Hang Massive.
Hang Massive is a UK-based duo of drummers and street performers whose many music videos have gone viral.
The duo is made up of Danny Cudd and Markus Offbeat, who met in Goa, India. They formed a group together and moved back to the UK, where they currently perform in the historic town of Bath Spa. Still, they first rose to prominence in 2011 with their music video Once Again.
While the song is based around a relatively simple 3:2 polyrhythm, the way that Cudd and Offbeat move their hands around the drums results in all kinds of different notes! Despite the simplicity of it, it still has a very soothing and captivating sound—one that earned their video some 34 million views.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GedhLjNyzEE\
Their musical style continued to evolve in another video called Beats For Your Feet, released in 2012. In this one, the duo performed in Bath Spa for random passersby so that they could experience the music. If you’ve never heard these instruments before, the song gives a great feel for what this unique instrument is capable of. If you wanted something ambient to meditate to, these tunes may be a good choice!
No matter your music preferences, Hang Massive shows that there’s always room to come up with new ways to experiment with music.
The duo has many more videos on their YouTube channel and continues to make music videos and albums of instrumental music. When asked about their process, the band says they’re just having fun with the process:
“We draw inspiration from all of the different genres of music that we have enjoyed and loved throughout our lives. We bring different elements of this into the way that we play the hang. We also draw deep inspiration from a relaxed way of being and from the spontaneous nature of reality.”
Keep drumming guys!
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