Tongue drum, handpan: two new names in the world of music for two musical instruments that have emerged in the 21st century.
But what are the differences between these two instruments?
To understand them better, let's first look at their strange similarities.
Two diatonic instruments
The Handpan is a trademark registered in 2007 by an American company called PANArt. The instrument it is inspired by is the Hang, invented in 2000 by the Swiss Felix Rohner and Sabina Shärer.
Both derived their instrument from the steel pan drum, a metal drum with a seductive sound.
The handpan is a diatonic musical instrument that is presented in both heptatonic and pentatonic.
In other words, it is an instrument that does not have all the notes of the chromatic scale. That is, it cannot play the semitones, which are represented in the notes by the symbols C sharp and B flat.
The heptatonic character of the handpan means that the musical scale has seven steps, i.e. seven notes.
The pentatonic character means that the handpan has a musical scale with five degrees, i.e. five notes.
The same applies to the Tongue Drum, which is a diatonic, heptatonic or pentatonic instrument, like the very old Balafon.
The Handpan and the Tongue Drum also have the same component, metal, and the same shape, ovoid.
This cymbal shape is a testament to its manufacturing process, which consists of joining two pieces of metal that are pressed together for the Handpan and welded together for the Tongue Drum.
Differences between tongue drum and handpan playing
Tongue drums are instruments with metal reeds that are cut directly from one of the instrument's steel plates. The reeds are numbered from 1 to 7, i.e. from C to B, according to the notes they can produce.
Percussion is done with the hands and fingers or with mallets.
A difference in size and weight
The Handpan is bigger, but also lighter than the Tongue Drum. The reason is that the thickness of the steel is different. The tongue drum is made of thicker steel.
However, the price is disproportionate to its weight. Thus, a tongue drum is much cheaper than a handpan. In fact, it is about ten times cheaper.
A different sound
The sound of the tongue drum is meditative. It has a deep and seductive harmony. It tolerates slower rhythms well and has a longer resonance.
The Handpan can be played louder and at a much faster tempo. The sound of this instrument is more captivating than that of the tongue drum.
Disadvantages on the handpan side
The tongue drum is an instrument that cannot go out of tune. Although the notes are thinner and the instrument is heavier, it always retains its characteristic sound.
The handpan, on the other hand, is a much more delicate instrument that goes out of tune and therefore needs to be serviced every one to six years, depending on how the player plays.
Some handpans can rust if they are not made of stainless steel. Most importantly, they are sensitive to heat, even in the sun in summer.
In contrast, a tongue drum can withstand all temperatures, from the lowest below zero to the hottest.
Why is that? Because its inventor, Dennis Havlena, made this wonderful instrument from two gas cylinder necks welded together. In other words, the Tongue Drum is very robust from the outset without sacrificing aesthetic beauty.