Handpan Lessons: Where Can You Learn to Play?

Do you own a handpan and want to learn how to play beautiful melodies on it? Are you wondering if lessons are available, either online or in person with a teacher? What options should you consider to start mastering this melodic percussion instrument?

Having played the handpan for over 10 years, I explored many different ways to learn proper technique when I was starting out. As a result, I can walk you through all the options available so you can quickly compose your first tunes with this flying saucer–shaped sound sculpture.

Learning the handpan can happen online or with an in-person teacher. You can choose budget-friendly general courses or pricier private lessons. There are also a few free tutorials available online.

Once you’ve read this entire article, you’ll finally have all the information you need about:

• The option to learn handpan online or in person
• Paid lessons for this instrument
• Free tutorials for the Hang drum

This will help you pinpoint the option that fits you best so you can fully enjoy this musical instrument. You’ll then be able to show everyone you know the progress you’ve made with your handpan.

Now, let’s dive a little deeper into the topic.

Is it possible to learn the handpan online, or is it absolutely necessary to take in-person lessons?

Unfortunately, the handpan is still a fairly exotic instrument compared to more common ones like piano, violin, or trumpet. This is partly because it is a relatively new percussion instrument that was invented between 1999 and 2000 in Switzerland by the company PANArt. As a result, while it’s relatively easy to find in-person piano lessons through a private teacher or a conservatory, it’s a bit more complicated for the handpan. So even though working with an in-person teacher is ideal, most people who live far from major cities will end up turning to online options.

The good news is that it’s absolutely possible to learn the handpan remotely. The number of courses and teachers available online has exploded in recent years. In addition, the rates are much lower than what you’d typically pay for in-person lessons, which is a great alternative if you don’t have hundreds of dollars to spend on discovering this fascinating instrument. Finally, it’s worth remembering that many of today’s experienced handpan teachers were once self-taught themselves—proof that the Hang drum can definitely be learned independently with the help of a few solid online resources. Those resources can save you a huge amount of time when it comes to discovering and learning rhythms, whereas learning entirely on your own is often slow and frustrating.

Where can you take paid lessons to discover the Hang drum?

Spending a little money to learn the handpan is usually a good sign of quality, and the lessons you choose can help you progress in the right direction. There are two main types of lessons: general and private. Let’s go through them one by one.

What are the advantages of choosing general tutorials to learn the handpan?

A general course is, in fact, a pre-recorded video tutorial that you follow like you’d watch a movie or a TV series. The teacher delivers the lesson and shares tips, but you can’t interact with them directly. Compared to a private lesson, the biggest advantages are the price and the fact that you can rewatch the same lesson as many times as you need to really understand and absorb what’s being taught. You can also pause at any time if you’re interrupted, which gives you more flexibility. Plus, you can stay at home, avoid traveling, and progress at your own pace.

This type of course can take the form of a book with QR codes, or even a DVD, so you can access the content. Or it can be a fully online platform that you log into to access all the lessons through a monthly subscription or a one-time payment. When it comes to books, I highly recommend this one, which not only includes more than 15 lessons with a teacher, but also offers 25 pieces of sheet music so you can play songs by some of the biggest names in the handpan world, such as Hang Massive and Sam Maher. A video presentation of this book is available below:

The nice bonus is that you can resell it when you feel you no longer need it. You can also lend it to friends who play handpan.

Play 25 melodious songs with your handpan

4.6/5 — 500+ Reviews

See the sheet music book and video tutorials

As for online platforms, the most interesting one by far is Master The Handpan, created by David Charrier, a renowned musician in the world of handpan. This platform brings together some of the world’s greatest players to offer lessons for all levels. You pay only for the lessons that interest you, and you get lifetime access. Plus, you have 14 days to change your mind if you’re not satisfied. I used this platform for a long time, and I still do, to keep improving. I especially recommend it if you’re aiming to level up—it’s a great complement to the book I mentioned above. What’s more, you get 10% off the listed prices by using the code "PROMO" at checkout, which is always a nice perk. Click here to discover the Master the Handpan platform and get an overview of the courses on offer.

How can you find teachers who give private lessons on the Hang?

As mentioned at the start of this article, handpan or Hang teachers are still relatively rare. So it’s unlikely you’ll find one at a music conservatory, but it doesn’t hurt to try. Call the one closest to you—you might be pleasantly surprised. Otherwise, you can also find teachers online through directories that list handpan instructors. The most comprehensive is Superprof, which has dozens of teachers, including some who offer lessons via webcam, saving you the trouble of traveling. Click here to discover all the handpan teachers on Superprof.

While in-person lessons or webcam lessons have the advantage of letting a teacher correct your mistakes immediately while adapting to your instrument and your musical background, the downside is the price. In fact, you can expect to pay an average of $40 per hour to hire the services of a handpan teacher. It’s also worth noting that it will take dozens of hours to really master this instrument, which means you’ll need to plan for a significant budget if you choose this option.

Are there any free tutorials for learning this musical instrument?

There are, of course, free tutorials and lessons for the handpan. Most are offered during workshops organized by cities to promote culture or during music festivals dedicated mainly to the handpan. Some professional players even travel to these events to host free group masterclasses. It’s also a great chance to ask these artists questions and refine your handpan technique. To find this type of event, you can take a look at websites that list local associations, such as Meetup. However, you’ll need to be prepared to travel—sometimes long distances—to attend. Reservations are also sometimes required.

In the world of free lessons, you can also find some on YouTube, where amateurs share tips. The problem is that the advice isn’t always reliable. Like anywhere, there’s some great content and some really poor content, and as a beginner, it can be hard to tell the difference.

It’s also worth noting that Master the Handpan offers a few free introductory lessons to help you begin your journey of learning this instrument. Click here to access Master the Handpan's free lessons. It’s a great way to explore the platform at no cost, even though you’ll of course need to pay for the rest. Still, you can get an attractive 10% discount with the code "PROMO".

Another option is to tap into word-of-mouth networks or specialized forums, where you might meet generous people who simply enjoy helping others progress.

Learn to play the handpan with a comprehensive book including lessons and sheet music

Although the handpan is an instinctive instrument, that doesn’t mean learning on your own is ideal for every player. A course, whether online or in person, will inevitably help you progress faster. Thanks to the information you’ve read in this article, you now know all the different ways to find instruction that fits you perfectly.

However, handpan lessons can quickly become very expensive, especially when you’ve already invested several hundred dollars just to buy this melodic percussion instrument. That’s why the book from the Instruments du Monde store is a great middle ground. For just a few dozen dollars, you’ll get access to more than 15 lessons and 25 playable scores, which promises dozens of hours of musical enjoyment.

Purchase this book dedicated to the handpan by clicking on the image below:

Play 25 melodious songs with your handpan

4.6/5 — 500+ Reviews

See the sheet music book and video tutorials

As I explained earlier, the Master The Handpan platform is a really interesting place to keep developing your skills on this instrument in the right direction. By reading my other article on the topic, you’ll be able to see my full review as well as a promo code.