Steel Tongue Drum or Handpan?
How do I find the right instrument? A few tips for the purchase decision
Finding the right instrument that suits you is not that easy. Do you want a Handpan or a Steel Tongue Drum? Which manufacturer do you choose, which scale, which material, which frequency and how long do you finally have to wait until you can hold it in your hands?
We want to simplify the tedious process of choosing the right instrument for you. In our Handpan shop you will find a variety of instruments (Handpans and Steel Tongue Drums) of different manufacturers, tunings and materials. All instruments are usually available for immediate purchase.
If you want to get some information in advance, we have compared some basic information, differences as well as the advantages and disadvantages of Handpan and Steel Tongue Drum in a compressed form for you.
Steel Tongue Drum
The tone field of a steel tongue drum is cut or lasered into the instrument. Steel Tongue Drums are usually smaller, but heavier than Handpans. They are made of thicker steel and resonate substantially longer than Handpans. They have a meditative, calm and quiet sound.
Advantages
- Usually not as expansive as a Handpan
- very robust, can not detune unless hit very hard
- can be played with mallets
- not sensitive to cold or heat (-10 to +45 degrees)
Disadvantages
- quieter than a Handpan
- the playing surface of the notes is smaller than that of a Handpan (you have to hit more accurately)
- heavier
Handpan
The tone field of a Handpan is created with a special hammer.
Handpans are louder and fuller in sound than Steel Tongue Drums and have a magical sound that captivates.
Advantages
- large tone fields, easier to hit
- fuller in sound volume
- is much louder than a steel tongue drum and can still be heard well even with louder background noise
- lighter
- Variety, greater choice of manufacturers, materials, scales
Disadvantages
- more expensive than a steel tongue drum
- more sensitive, sensitive to heat, can become detuned more quickly
- must be regularly retuned (depending on the type of playing, handling, manufacturer and material)
Best to try out what is right for you
We advise you in all questions around the topic Handpans and Steel Tongue Drums. In our store in Mainz you have the possibility to test and buy different instruments - without waiting time. We carry a wide range of different manufacturers and scales (tunings) and accessories. Also feel free to check out our used Handpan section. Maybe there is already a suitable instrument for you.