![mNxQfvo68Co.jpg](https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmau7N4oZEJ5F1pQQYn311TVUQ7gcQkZDUxfuA4AAiWogb/mNxQfvo68Co.jpg) Are you searching for the ultimate handpan sound at a reasonable price? Then there’s no doubt as to why you’ve decided to choose a RAV Pan from among the other steel drums available for sale. But how do you decide which one to get? Here’s a short how-to for you to help with the choice. RAV Pans The RAV Pan is a handpan instrument. What is a handpan and how does it differ from other steel drums? The handpan is a membrane instrument. What exactly does that mean? The whole instrument is a tensed membrane, which, like a tensed guitar string, produces sound when it is touched. The dimples on its surface are tuned with different notes. An average handpan usually has 9 notes – 8 placed on the dimples and 1 on the central Ding, which produces the lowest note. Although there are some special options with an additional ding for a bottom note. Handpans differ in size, shape, material, and, of course – in sound. If you’ve already had some experience playing handpans, you know they all have their own unique voice. Even the same handpans from the same manufacturer can slightly differ from each other. What’s the reason? That’s because creating and tuning a handpan is done by hand and is a real art. The dimples are manually shaped and tuned with a set of different molds and mallets. One wrong hammer blow and you’ll need to start work from scratch. This is a long process that takes a lot of effort and requires a great level of mastery from the artisan. When shopping for a RAV Pan, you can be totally sure each drum is perfectly tuned. The RAV Pans have 3 options of scales. Let’s take a short look at the scales that are available so you can choose the one that best suits your music taste and level. ![bSuctVzwi7g.jpg](https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmUKsGMiVX5mWUZNQzQWnH3TANHBqhFLMad9C4S5PeZnYk/bSuctVzwi7g.jpg) The D Celtic Minor RAV Pan Although the handpan is an intuition-friendly instrument, meaning you can play without notes or special patterns, it’s recommended you start playing when you’ve already got some handpan (or tongue drum) playing skills. If you do know how to play a little, but still want to learn, the D Celtic Minor RAV Pan will be the best choice for you. It has a melodious and very soft sound. This RAV drum is really easy to acquire, still the sound is rich and will work great for professional musicians as well. It’s tuned in Minor chord so it will mainly work for calming and tender slow melodies. A great option for meditation or yoga! The D Major RAV Pan Do you prefer more cheerful music? Then take a look at the D Major RAV Pan. The sound of this drum will definitely lift your spirits! This will be a great option for musicians who tend to perform in accompaniment with others. The D Major goes perfectly with another steelpan, a RAV Vast, or any other instrument. Do you provide your own coaching sessions? The D Major Pan will be your versatile instrument to show different techniques and give tips to other handpan musicians. The B Celtic Minor RAV Pan Are you searching for a deep and mystical sound? This Pan is designed for pro players who would like to try out the bass handpan sound. This Pan will be great for composing some whimsical electronic compositions, as well as jamming with other musicians and providing a lower line for the whole melody. The F Pygmy RAV Pan If you feel like you’ve already seen it all, there’s something to surprise you. The F Pygmy is a black pearl beyond the other handpans. Its low sound is reminiscent of the ocean undertow, plus it has more notes (10+1). This Pan will work perfectly for the sophisticated musician who is keen on experimenting with new sound. A short note before you move to purchasing. A good bonus is included! When you purchase any of the RAV Pans, you’ll also get hard case to go with it. Needless to say, it makes transportation much easier! Remember, it’s recommended to use the hard case to transport the instrument only. Don’t leave your new shining Pan in a closed case all the time if you want to avoid moisture condensation. Still, the hard case is a perfect tool to take your RAV Pan with you and is definitely essential when you travel. Now there’s no need to become separated from your RAV Pan. Take it wherever you go and enjoy its enchanting sound.