maia on the hang
The hang (pronounced 'hung') is profoundly gentle, enchanting and peace-enhancing. An ethereal 'sound sculpture', Sahayak describes it as 'for this world, but not of this world.' It is so true!
"The unification of rhythm and melody", this uncommon, intuitive hand-crafted 'artpiece' is truly captivating. It calls you to listen, and speaks to the heart of all who do.
The hang is handcrafted in Bern, Switzerland, with great skill and dedication of heart, by Felix Rohner and Sabina Scharer - the only hang makers in the world.
The hang, in their words...
"The hang has found a resonance in the souls of individuals all over the planet. It sings under the hands of modern pilgrims, on stages large and small, in religious ceremonies, in magical rituals, in therapy practices, in homes and schools. It adds a touch of colour to many styles of music and, in quiet places, it speaks to the spiritual development of the individual."
The hang evolved out of the Trinidad steel pan and Indian ghatam with an almost accidental invention. The first hanghang (plural of hang) was made available for sale in the year 2000. It has evolved over the years, with my hang being the 'integral' hang (2007-2008).
'Hang' is the Bernese dialect for 'hand' because it is played with the hands. In Sanskrit hang (and also 'han') means 'I am' - which is Spiritually very significant.
When the integral hang is played, the notes (A3, Bb3, C4, D4, E4, F4 (no G), A4 and 'ding' D3 - central base tone, and 'gu' -F# on the underside) flicker between the eastern and western music scales and rings with various harmonic overtones. The hang carries both masculine and feminine energy. It plays differently for different people and also can play differently in different situations depending on the energetic of the place and the people. When two play it together, it behaves differently from when either person plays it alone. It also plays differently for us at different times, depending on what we need the most at any given time. Fascinating!
One of the highlights for me is that it is an intuitive instrument with a lot of scope. Some 30 years ago I played violin and piano, and while I enjoyed both, the discipline and structure of reading music and 'following the rules' didn't really work for me. Over some 10 years I also played African (djembe) drums and loved that but found the scope too limited. The hang is the perfect answer, with the freedom of intuitive play, with a range of notes and a diversity of sounds, a magical blend of melody and percussion. Manna from heaven! (I share more about this in 'maia's music journey'.)
A last word from the hang makers to finish off, on what they call 'The Tao of Hang Playing'...
"We recommend approaching the instrument in freedom... Touching the hang anywhere engenders a response. Follow it. Let your body interact with the vault of the hang; the hands follow, the fingers dance. Listen inwardly. At times, pay attention to the sound of the hands as they touch the surface, at other times pay attention to the musical results, at other times pay attention to the voices of the angels in the realm of the overtones, and sometimes...pay attention to nothing at all."
hang links
ALERT: The availability of the hang is very limited and there is no guarantee of obtaining one. Those who wish to try, be sure to research these links below for advice and also for warnings regarding second hand purchases, eBay sales and scams.
NOTE: There are a variety of 'hang-like', hang inspired instruments now also on the market...all in various stages of experimentation and development. While none are as evolved and exquisite as the hang, the evolution of all the different options is exciting. It is wise to thoroughly research the various options.
The hang...
Forum for discussion of handpans (various hang-inspired instruments as well as hang.)
handpan forum
Our hang (and other) videos
samjjana YouTube channel
"A painter paints pictures on canvas.
But musicians paint their pictures on silence."
Leopold Stokowski