On a handpan, all the notes belong to a single scale. You can't play a "wrong" note, but you choose a sound colour once and for all. Here are the three most played scales.
D Kurd: the most played
Notes (9): D3 · A3 B♭3 C4 D4 E4 F4 G4 A4
A minor scale, warm and slightly melancholic, that suits everything: meditation, fast rhythms, songs. It's the scale of most handpan videos, and the one we recommend for a first instrument.
D Amara: the softest
Notes (9): D3 · A3 C4 D4 E4 F4 G4 A4 C5
Close to the Kurd, but without its darkest note (the B flat). The result is softer and more open, much loved for meditation, yoga or playing in the evening.
C# Annaziska: the deepest
Notes (9): C#3 · G#3 B3 C#4 D#4 E4 F#4 G#4 B4
A little lower, with a deep and slightly mysterious character. It appeals to people who improvise a lot and want a sound different from the one heard everywhere.
How to choose?
Listen to videos of all three scales and trust your first impression: it is often the right one. If you want to play with a guitar or other instruments, the D scales (D Kurd, D Amara) are the easiest to match with them.
All our handpans are in D Kurd, tuned to 440 or 432 Hz. The models on offer depend on your delivery country: see our handpans.
