What is a Hang?

The Hang is a musical instrument created by Felix Rohner and Sabina Schärer in Bern, Switzerland. The name of their company is PANArt Hangbau AG. The Hang is sometimes referred to as a hang drum, but the inventors consider this a misnomer and strongly discourage its use.

The instrument is constructed from two half-shells of deep drawn, nitrided steel sheet glued together at the rim leaving the inside hollow and creating a distinct 'UFO shape'. The top ("Ding") side has a center 'note' hammered into it and seven or eight 'tone fields' hammered around the center. The bottom ("Gu") is a plain surface that has a rolled hole in the center with a tuned note that can be created when the rim is struck.

The Hang uses some of the same basic physical principles as a steelpan, but modified in such a way as to act as a Helmholtz resonator (the phenomenon of air resonance in a cavity, such as when one blows across the top of an empty bottle.)The creation of the Hang was the result of many years of research on the steelpan and other instruments. The inventors of the Hang have continued to refine the shape and materials and have produced several variations over the years.

The name Hang comes from the Bernese German word for hand. It is a registered trademark and property of PANArt Hangbau AG.

How Does the Hang Sounds?

Enjoy a short hang duo video filmed on an autumnal morning in the beautiful town of Bath Spa, UK. The music is by the duo Hang Massive - Danny Cudd and Markus Offbeat.

Another one by the talented Loris Lombardo

Difference between Hang (Drum) and Handpan

Handpan is a term for a group of musical instruments resulting from a growing worldwide interest in the Hang, an instrument invented and built by the company PANArt Hangbau AG. This expression first appeared online in the fall of 2007 on the website of an American steelpan producer Pantheon Steel. It was used to describe its own development of a new instrument which was launched as an alternative to the Hang.

The first four instruments, which are generally included by the term handpan, were Caisa (2007), BElls (2009), Halo (2009), and Spacedrum (2009). Today, many handpan builders have entered the market and offer instruments that vary widely in material, manufacturing techniques, shape, sound and quality.

Hang (Drum) and Handpan Comparison Video

I hope you have learned something from this post and that you can now recognize this instrument when you hear or see it.

Peace