Do you want to learn to play the Handpan but you have no musical background? No problem! The Handpan is a highly intuitive musical instrument and, unlike most other instruments, you don’t need to know music theory to start playing.

However, if you want to master this fabulous and unique sounding instrument, you’ll need a minimum of training. Private lessons, online lessons, tutorials, Youtube… Let’s take a look at the options available to you.

Getting started

You’re the proud owner of a handpan, and now you’re going to have to get acquainted with this special instrument. But there’s no need to panic! In fact, it’s impossible to make a wrong note when playing the Handpan. It’s pretty encouraging to get started!

The Handpan usually has eight or nine harmonic notes represented by dimples. The central note is called the “Ding”.

The notes that surround the Ding belong to the pentatonic scale with different keys. This is what ensures that you never make a mistake when playing the Handpan.

Let’s get started! You can start tapping, playing with your fingers and hands, varying intensities and rhythms, or using mallets or gloves… Let your creativity run free, because the Handpan is an instrument that lends itself completely to discovery.

One of the first steps will be to acquire a certain level of dexterity through regular practice. You’ll soon be able to coordinate your movements better and create variations in your playing. If you enjoy playing with your handpan, you’re ready for the next step.

The Handpan is a percussion instrument, so it goes without saying that you’ll need to master the rhythms to play it properly. This is an essential step if you want to make progress with your learning.

Once you have acquired the rhythmic fundamentals, you can move on to creating melodies. This involves finding a bass note and then setting down the accompaniment, which consists of a combination of notes that harmonise with it.

With practice, you’ll develop greater dexterity and flexibility in your movements, and will be able to find the right note at the right time.

Handpan private lessons

Depending on the goals you’ve set yourself, if you want to improve your technique and your playing, it’s highly recommended that you get help from a teacher. It goes without saying that this is the best option for making progress in learning any instrument, including the handpan.

You’ll be able to benefit from the advice of a professional to improve your dexterity and overall mastery of the instrument. But how easy is it to find a handpan teacher? Few music schools currently offer Handpan lessons, which is a relatively young instrument.

That being said, it is possible to benefit from ongoing, professional and personalised guidance thanks to online courses.

Online courses

The advantage of online Handpan courses is that you can watch the lessons as often as you like and at any time. This adapts to the learner’s pace and ensures effective progress.

In addition, on these platforms you can benefit from the exchanges and sharing of experience from a large community of Handpan players. They cover a wide range of subjects: technique, dexterity, composition, rhythm coordination, and much more… A veritable well of resources available online.

We have selected a number of teaching platforms that are popular with Handpan players :

Superprof

Superprof is one of the most popular online tutoring platforms, putting teachers in touch with students who want to learn. It covers a huge range of disciplines, including Handpan. What’s special about this website is that it doesn’t just offer online lessons, but also face-to-face lessons.

The price of a private lesson varies between £15 and £45.

Master the Handpan

Master the Handpan is a specialised handpan platform based on the expertise of one of the world’s most renowned teachers: David Charrier.

Whether you’re a beginner or a more advanced player, he’ll be able to help you with your playing. To this day, more than 12,000 handpan players have taken lessons on this website.

The advantage of this platform is that it offers unlimited access to courses, so you can learn at your own pace. A free trial is also available.

The price of this complete course ranges from $149 for beginners to $179 for advanced players.

Handpan Dojo

It is the direct competitor of Master The Handpan, which offers the same type of online training. Accessible to beginners and intermediates alike, Handpan Dojo offers different packages ranging from $99 to $450, depending on your level and needs. Lessons are given by a number of experienced teachers, each with their own particular approach to the Handpan. You can also try out their lessons for free on the website.

Youtube

Finally, there are a considerable number of YouTube channels dedicated to learning the Handpan. Tutorials, advice, exercises – the resources available are numerous and, of course, free. You’ll also find David Charrier from Master the Handpan, who offers 100% free tutorials. It’s the ideal place to start familiarising yourself with one of the teachers and decide which teaching method suits you best before choosing and investing in a paying course platform.

To conclude

The Handpan is an intuitive percussion instrument that’s quick and easy to pick up, as there’s no room for wrong notes. However, if you want to master the basics and make rapid progress, it’s best to work with a teacher.

Fortunately, there are many resources and learning platforms available online to help you learn to play the handpan, from beginner to advanced levels. You’ll need to follow the free Youtube tutorials offered by the course platforms before making your choice.