In this article we will see how to position the handpan in the correct way to easily access all the notes of the scale and how to find the most comfortable position possible for playing by placing the handpan on your legs or on the various types of stands and supports.
Positioning:
It is important to position the handpan correctly, to be able to play the scale comfortably and to access intriguing harmonic possibilities.
We can position the instrument with the lowest note towards our belly, therefore with the largest "dimple", which in the image we have identified with the number 1, centrally (or slightly rotated to the right). In this way, if we are going to hit the other numbers in an increasing way, the scale will come naturally!
This is also a recommended possibility, usually we play in this mode but we can turn the handpan as we want so as to experiment with the notes in different ways.
Handpan resting on legs:
This is one of the most used positions, above all for the versatility of not needing any additional stand or support, just sit on the floor cross-legged or on a chair or stool and you can immediately start playing.
Sometimes it can be uncomfortable to reach the more distant notes, especially for people who are short or have a lot of belly. Furthermore, in the configuration, sitting on a chair or stool, we recommend that the thighs stay parallel to the floor, so that the instrument does not slide forward; having a low chair (or long legs 😅) can help with this.
We prefer to recommend stools or chairs without armrests which may obstruct comfortable playing.
Playing on a chair or stool (with knees closed) is also the most comfortable solution for Handpans with Bottom note (notes in the lower dome).
Handpan Stand:
There are various types of stands and supports for handpans, those for playing seated, those for playing standing up and the extendable ones that perform both functions.
Among the stands for sitting down, the one we found the best with is the snare drum stand, which is comfortable, stable, foldable and has an affordable price.
Some models:
Snare Stands we recommend models from at least €30 upwards to have a minimum of stability.
In order to play while standing, there are also many types, both in metal made similar to the snare stand but higher (usually a bit unstable), and in wood with three round legs (stool-like), and with 4 legs crossed in a triangle.
The latter with 4 legs with 3 support points (which you can also see in the photo above), is the solution that we have found to be more comfortable and stable and easily transportable once closed.
To purchase this type of Handpan Stand, contact Filippo directly.
Playing with the Handpan on a stand while sitting or standing is much simpler and more comfortable for us as we have much more mobility and we can reach all the notes by also moving with the body to avoid complicated crossing of hands.
However, if you have a handpan with Bottom Note, be careful when placing it on the stand so that the support points (even if made of rubber) do not put pressure on the points where the notes are, which otherwise would not play and in the long run would risk forget under the pressure of the handpan's own weight.
Here you can see a video from our video blog in which we get more into these topics.
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Enjoy
Filippo e Raffaello