The Hang Drum!

I have not been at a computer long enough to post for a few days.. and I have been having so many things that I want to post about.. But later, right now I want to tell you about a drum performance I saw tonight. Maria called me after work and we went out tonight to bunch of performances at the Movement Centre - it was great - flamenco dancing, a clown, breakdancing, singing, acting .. but I loved and was so inspired by a guy, Gurpreet Sunhgh Chana, who plays percussion instruments - a Box Cajon, which originated in Peru but has become an important part of world music of various cultural influences, a Tabla, popular Indian perussion - a pair of hand drums of contrasting sizes and timbres, which has an incredibly beautiful sound..

and my favorite of all - the Hang Drum (pronounced Hun, actually the u is almost a soft o sound) I LOVED and was amazed by this!!! I would LOve to have one!!!
(ok, I was going to ask for one for my birthday .. But.. now I am researching ( at 2 am) for one.. to find out how much they cost and where to get them.. it seems they are only made one place in Switzerland by 2 guys, they are very expensive about 1500$ and there is a waiting list to get one. (..they are sooo cool!!)

PANArt Hangbau AG
Engehaldenstr. 131
3012 Bern/Switzerland
Phone international: +41 31 301 33 32
- from US/CDN: 01141 31 301 33 32
E-Mail: info@hang.ch

The Hang was developed in 2000 in by Felix Rohner and Sabina Schärer (PANArt Hangbau AG) and introduced at the Frankfurt Music Fair in 2001. They have a little workshop in Berne where every Hang in existence has been created.

The two deep drawn steel hemispheres of the Hang are hardened by a process known as gas-nitriding. The side considered the 'bottom' has an opening (Gu) in the center which is the bass note.. When it is played in a dampened way it can change in pitch similar to a talking drum. On the 'top' are seven notes arranged in a 'Tone Circle' in zig-zag fashion from low to high. All are tuned harmonically around a low note (Ding) at the center of the Tone Circle.

It uses some of the same physical principles as a steel drum (I love steel drums! ..and this is like a hand steel drum, even better!!) That being said there has been much metallurgical and acoustic research by the makers which have led to significant changes in structure, design, and process. It was the result of many years of research on the steelpan as well as the study of a diverse collection of instruments from around the world; such as gongs, gamelan, ghatam, drums, bells, etc. Udu-like sounds can be produced with theHelmholtz resonance that can occur within the clamped shallow shells. It also has the capacity to ring like a singing bowl.

Gurpreet Chana - Clips from Drum Festival


The ArtOfFusion, hand jam in Norway..

Relaxing Ambient Hang