Hang drum, Panart, metal musical instrument, steel pan, steel drum, Hang melodic musical instrument


	oddmusic: HANG Drum Listen to the music of different "first generation" Hang Drums Back to the main Hang page

Hang means "hand" in the Bernese language, and is pronounced "hung or hong". The Hang was developed in Switzerland. It was the result of many years of research on the steelpan and the study of the diverse collection of instruments from around the world, such as Gongs, Gamelan, Ghatam, drums, bells, etc. The instrument is played with the hands. Udu-like sounds are produced with the air resonance, the sounds of the clamped shallow shells sound like bells or harmonically tuned steelpans. The inner note on the bottom dome is the bass note, and when played in a dampened way allows change in pitch like a talking drum. Seven to nine notes are tuned harmonically around a central deep note. Below are some sound samples of various "first generation" Hangs

From 2000 through 2005, Hangs were categorized according to some 45 different "models." These models are no longer made, and the musical tones are presented as a resource and reference. Most of them have eight notes in their "tone loop," although some were made with seven - the so-called "Low Hangs." The serial numbers of the instruments made from 2000 to 2005 run from 0001 up through approximately 4500. This sound samples below are here as a historical reference to the first generation Hangs and for people who are interested in hearing what they sounded like. New Hangs are available on a limited basis from PanART. While they come in many, many different "tone loops", they can all be played together, as they all share at least 4 notes. These notes are D (RE) (in the center), an octave of that D, the A (LA) that falls between these two D's, and an octave of that A. Here is but one example of such a "tone loop": D3 (central note); tone loop: A3 C4 D4 E4 F4 G4 A4.

1. Aeolian The Aeolian mode id the 6th mode of the major musical scale. It is commonly referred to as natural minor, the relative minor musical scale of the major musical scale. It's a Greek musical scale which entered into the western minor/major system.	2. Ake Bono Ake Bono is a traditional five-note Japanese musical scale. In a Western context, it can be thought of as a pentatonic version of the Aeolian mode.

3. Banshiki - Cho It is a traditional five note Japanese musical scale. In Western context, it can be thought of as a pentatonic version of the Dorian mode with an added #5	4. Bayati Arabian musical scale with a lowered E (quarter tone), similar to the Phrygian mode.

5. Dorian The Dorian mode is the 2nd mode of the major musical scale.	6. Harmonic minor The augmented 2nd (b6-7) gives this musical scale its characteristic sound. The lowered 6th tone is the leading tone.

7. Hitzaz Arabian musical scale, in a western context a Phrygian major musical scale or the 5th mode of the harmonic minor musical scale.	8. Hitzazkiar - Persian musical scale This Arabian and Persian musical scale can be found also in Indian music. Bhairon is an Indian raga. In a Western context, it resembles a harmonic minor with Bb altered tension.
9. Hungarian Major Hungarian major is an interesting colorful seven-note musical scale, which is a similar to the Locrian musical scale (7th mode of the major musical scale).	10. Huzam A Greek musical scale, which is often used in a Greek folk music.
11. Ionian This is the major musical scale in Western music.	12. Kokin -Choshi A traditional five-note Japanese musical scale. Can be applied to a Phrygian sound in a Western context.
13.Kourd - Atar / Todi An seven note Arabian and Indian musical scale (raga) which can be played well in a minor pentatonic blues context.	14. Lydian The 4th mode of the major musical scale (Ionian mode). Tense, aggressive and expansive character.
15. Minor Penta A relative minor of the major pentatonic musical scale. It is built on the 5th degree of the major pentatonic musical scale. Much of the music of West Africa is based on this very pure melodic musical scale.	16. Neveseri Greek musical scale, used in Greek folk music.
17. Niavent - Egyptian This Greek musical scale is also called the Egyptian musical scale, a musical scale which reassembles the harmonic minor musical scale. The nalme comes from its unique north African sound.	18. Nirz Rast Arabian musical scale, the 3rd and 6th tones are lowered (quarter tone) It resembles an Aeolian musical scale.
19. Pentatonic C The Major pentatonic musical scale is a five-note musical scale that does not contain a tritone or half step. This gives the musical scale a neutral, non-dissonant quality that lends it to a natural, melodic quality.	20. Pentatonic F This is a five-note musical scale with the typical color of the Chinese music. This musical scale starts on the 4th degree of the musical scale.
21. Pelog Pelog is Javanese seven-note musical scale. This musical scale can be found in Gamelan orchestras.	22. Purvi Purvi is a six-note Indian musical scale (raga), which resembles a Jazz minor musical scale
23. Pygmy The Dorian Pentatonic musical scale is a five note version of the Dorian mode. It is also known as the Pygmy musical scale from Rwanda	24. Rast An Arabian musical scale, which is used around the Mediterranean. The 3rd and 7th are lowered a quarter tone.
25. Rumanikos A Greek musical scale which resembles the musical scale used by the Roma people.	26. Sabah A Greek musical scale which we find also in Arabian culture (Saba), similar to the Niavent musical scale
27. Sadjagrama One of the two old Indian musical scales which show minor and a major characteristics. This musical scale is tuned on the basis of the Indian interval system (22 shrutis, or notes, give one octave)	28. Segiah A Greek musical scale with melodic minor characters.
29. Sho Sho is a traditional six note Japanese musical scale, resembling the Dorian mode.	30.Slendro Slendro is a traditional Javanese five-note musical scale. This tempered musical scale is an original one with extended octaves and equidistant pentatonics.

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