Handpan for Beginners

Aside from D Kurd, the Celtic minor and Amara scales are the ones we most often recommend for a first handpan. Their notes fall naturally under your fingers, and plenty of learning resources are available. In this selection, you’ll also find models in Pygmy, Low Pygmy, Integral, Mystic, Akebono, and Oxalis scales, each available with different root notes such as C, D, E, or F.

Minor scales such as Amara are considered gentle and meditative, with notes that all harmonise with one another. Ultimately, there’s no wrong choice: the best approach is to listen to recordings of different scales and choose the one that resonates with you most.

During your first few sessions, you’ll mainly learn how to position the instrument correctly and strike it properly. Place the instrument on your lap with its lowest note facing you, keeping your back straight and your wrists aligned. If you don’t want to hold it, a stand will work perfectly well.

The ideal striking point lies between the flat centre of the note and the edge of its dimple, where you’ll produce a clearer, longer-lasting sound. Touch the note with your finger and immediately lift it away, keeping your arm relaxed and your wrist loose. Remember to strike with the pad of your finger rather than the fingertip, which is a bad habit among some beginners. The first exercise consists of slowly striking the ding (the centre note) about ten times while listening to it. A good sound lasts several seconds. If you hear a clicking sound, your finger is too flat or you’re striking too hard.

Next, move up and down the scale by following the rim notes, which are arranged in a zigzag pattern. Then alternate between the ding and a rim note, first with your dominant hand and then with both hands. These patterns will later provide a foundation for improvisation.

There are instructional books with accompanying online videos, and you’ll find some in this collection. They’re available in print or digital formats, and some are designed for both beginners and more advanced players.

The price of a beginner handpan depends mainly on the tuning work and the number of notes, as well as the metal and chosen scale.

Be wary of handpans sold at very low prices. These are often mass-produced instruments with limited quality control, resulting in inconsistent tuning. Some arrive out of tune or fail to hold their tuning, drifting noticeably within a few weeks or months. A buyer may even receive an instrument tuned to a different frequency from the one they ordered.

No, it’s not essential. Unlike a guitar, this instrument can rarely be tried in a shop, which is why most purchases are made online, often without the buyer ever having touched the instrument. Performance videos serve as a substitute for an in-person trial, and a reputable seller will show the instrument being played so you can assess the clarity, sustain, and balance of its notes.

Additionally, at the Instruments du Monde shop, you have 30 days to test your handpan and return it without providing any reason if you’re not satisfied. This is an excellent way to try your first instrument.

A beginner can cause their handpan to go out of tune by striking it too hard, but a good instrument stays in tune when played normally. The harder the strike, the more pressure is placed on the notes, causing the tuning to deteriorate more quickly. A handpan can also go out of tune if it is dropped or struck against a hard object. Playing it with drumsticks has the same effect, as do sitting or stepping on it and transporting it without a case.

However, a properly treated and maintained high-quality handpan will stay in tune for years—generally two to five years, depending on the maker. You’ll know it needs retuning if a note sounds lower or higher than it originally did, a harmonic disappears, two notes no longer harmonise with each other, or the sustain decreases. To protect it, you’ll find a case, carrying bag, or jute cover in this collection, along with a microfibre cloth and maintenance oil.

A small handpan is narrower than a standard model: it offers a smaller playing surface, sits more compactly on your lap, and requires less reach. In this selection, you’ll find mini handpans and other compact formats alongside standard-sized models. However, a mini handpan has less room for notes, while a standard-sized instrument will offer more possibilities as you progress. A smaller model is therefore most useful if you often travel with your instrument or have difficulty reaching the edge of a large handpan. It is also the format we recommend for a handpan for kids.

Above all, a good handpan for beginners arrives properly tuned and stays in tune when played normally, allowing you to progress without being held back by out-of-tune notes after the first few weeks.

To identify one, listen to the clarity of each note, the quality of its sustain (how long it continues to resonate after being struck), and the balance in volume across the instrument. Striking one note should also cause neighbouring notes to ring as little as possible, as excessive sympathetic resonance is a flaw known as crosstalk. A seller who doesn’t provide any videos of the handpan being played should therefore raise a red flag.

This collection includes 9-, 10-, and 12-note handpans, depending on the model, as well as instruments made from nitrided steel and stainless steel. However, the maker’s craftsmanship and tuning work matter more than the material alone.