This questions has been in debate since the instrument was first born. The answers vary from spiritual to scientific.
In this article we are happy to share our point of view on this question from our own self experience with the instrument, and the observations of interactions with the people who visit our workshop and share about their own experience with the instrument.
Is there such a thing as musical talent?
One of the most attractive properties about the Handpan – which is quite unique – is by having one scale where the player cannot ‘go wrong in’ and having a super beautiful and enchanting sound.
It gives the player an experience of being a symphony orchestrator without having any music theory background.
Many people who visit our workshop present themselves as having no ‘musical talent’. This of course is nonsense, because every person on the planet has a natural connection to rhythm (heart beat, breathing, walking), harmony, and melody (talking, singing and listening on a daily basis to the sounds around us and to music).
This idea of ‘having no musical talent’ can be broken easily with the Handpan. Just when you start tapping your fingers on the instrument a song starts to arise naturally.
This beautiful experience helps the player to change his idea about himself of not being musically talented, from our point of view that is exactly what we would describe as self healing.
In the modern world which we live in, there is competition everywhere we look, and sadly we put ourselves somewhere in this endless competition with people around us.
This process is very tiring and can easily break down our self esteem. Especially when it comes to musical competition.
The Handpan offers something new. Suddenly you understand that you too have the opportunity to create beautiful music, and to express yourself emotionally through the Handpan without having any knowledge of what you are exactly doing. Still it sounds beautiful and it will excite you and the people around you.
Play alone and fill the space
One of the greatest things about the Handpan is that you can play alone and fill up the space with just one instrument.
Many instruments such as wind instruments (flute, trumpet etc) are usually played together with other instruments.
The Handpan can create a beat (rhythm) while filling up the space with beautiful melodies and harmonies.
If you ever had the calling to play a musical instrument and felt embarrassed or not skilled enough to play an instrument, the Handpan is definitely an instrument that is worth a try.
It offers so much opportunity and creativity without needing to go through the long and exhausting process of learning to master a more complicated instrument such as violin, piano or guitar.
In our fast moving world it is sometimes very hard to find the time to master these kinds of instruments.
We hope that by reading this article you may have found your answer of why you would like to start the journey with the Handpan, because we truly believe it has so much to offer to each one of us.