Some Experiments on Building a Handpan:

Secrets of the HandPan – Trials on Build a HandPan – Status of an experimental journey…

Creation of templates, design, dimples, notes and tuning… Structural Setup “Voyager 1-3” –
The tuning is still ongoing… it’s a toughest challenge after you managed the mechanical 1st steps…

An “experimental journey” with a sequence of trails, called:
“Voyager 1”, “Voyager 2” & latest “Voyager 3” – Status 01/2021

Remark: of course as always: all own pictures are from my experimental trials, my steps of “progress”.

A trial on a handpan poem on the handpan is attached as well,  …. “old habits die hard”.  

Status:

The handpan construction is of cause “very easy”:
it just needs some practice, better some more practice, and then you just have to overcome some failures,
quite some frustrations and too just to go on, to perform more practice, get more building experience
and again obtain just some more practice ….enter new spheres of frustration…
well at that point, you just enjoy the journey into this “secret handpan world” …. 

Development Sequence (just think twice to step into this handpan building challenge….):
– Design a suitable scale, sizes of the note and note location of about 8-9 notes/handpan (avoiding sonic cross talk)
  by opposite distribution on the handpan, the half pan:
– 1st trials: Notes – Scales in: Minor (German “Moll”, very common “D-Moll”), Major (German “Dur”)
  or any exotic scale, as you like, but start with something not too complicated with the necessary building steps:
– Hammering and shaping of dimples and note surfaces
– Sufficient and slight re-tempering to equalize generated excessive stresses.
– Shaping of surfaces – keeping up internal stress-tensions on notes.
– Hammering, hammering and note tuning:
  at least try to tune “at least” tree tones of a note to create a typical handpan note tones: base, octave and 5th.

– Living with some frustrations and performing “enthusiastic” trial-building re-starts with passion and ambition,
  thus, just another building exercise.

– Tuning is the major/essential challenge to build a handpan, if you have overcome mechanical building issue….
   to be continued …. to reach an acceptable development level…. (…. LOL “@@”…,-)….)!   

Some References on this challenge/ construction journey:

(1) Achong, Anthony: “Secrets of the Steelpan”,
Science, Technology, Tuning and Operation, Xlibris 1-888-795-4274, LLC, US, 2013. 

(2) Kronman, Ulf: “Steel Pan Tuning: A Handbook for Steel Pan Making and Tuning”,
Musicmuseets, Stockholm, Sweden, 1991.

(3) Wolfson Collage: “Acoustics and Manufacture of the Caribbean Steelpans”, 12/2010.

(4) Alon, Eyal: “Analysis and Synthesis of the Handpan Sound”, University of NY, 04/2015.

(5) Felix Rohner and Sabina Schaerer: PANArt Company and Papers, NY conference: new Dev. of the Steelpan, 05/2000

(6) Stephensen, R.W.B.: “Acoustics and vibrational Physics”, Imperial College of Sc. and Techn., London, 1966

Builder Videos on YouTube:
PANArt Hangbau AG (+), “What it takes to Build a Mystical Handpan” (+),
OHM Handpan Tuning Loosening and Pre-tuning, Felix Rohner is building a Handpan
Pantheon Steel Halo Making Process 2007-2016, Nirvana Handpan,
The process of making Cenz Handpan and Tony “Nameless”

Sound Examples at Youtube Handpan (“HANG” (CH)):

Sam Maher New York (+), Hang Massive (+), Daniel Walpes (+), Yatao Music (++), Rafael Sontomayor,
Kate Stone (+), Mumi Handpan (++), Malte Marten (+), Nadayana, David Kuckhermann,
Handpan Music – The Old Sea (David Kuckhermann & Milena Holtz),
Opsilon Handpan Duo – Kate Stone & Rafael Sotomayor, Lombardo HANDPAN – Loris Lombardo

Handpan Lessons:
David Charrier, David Urban, Jacob Cole, Colin Foulke.