Handpan Scales Guide
Understanding the musical heart of your handpan: scales, notes, and their emotional qualities
Introduction to Handpan Scales
The scale of a handpan defines its musical personality and the emotions it can evoke. Unlike many other instruments where you can play any note, a handpan is typically tuned to a specific scale, with each note carefully placed and tuned to create harmonic relationships.
At VibrationalHealingSchool in Rishikesh, we help students understand these scales deeply, allowing them to choose instruments that resonate with their musical intentions and healing practices.
What Makes a Handpan Scale?
A typical handpan has 8-10 notes: a central bass note (Ding) on the top center of the instrument, surrounded by 7-9 notes arranged in a circle around it. The arrangement and tuning of these notes create the scale.
Popular Handpan Scales
Kurd Scale (Minor)
Example: D Kurd - D, F, G, A, Bb, C, D
The Kurd scale is one of the most popular handpan scales, with a minor tonality that creates a mysterious, introspective, and somewhat melancholic mood. It's extremely versatile and forgiving for beginners.
Emotional Quality: Meditative, introspective, soulful
Integral Scale (Major)
Example: D Integral - D, E, F#, G, A, B, C#, D
The Integral scale has a bright, uplifting quality with its major tonality. It's excellent for creating joyful, energetic compositions and pairs well with many other instruments.
Emotional Quality: Joyful, bright, uplifting, celebratory
Hijaz Scale
Example: D Hijaz - D, Eb, F#, G, A, Bb, C, D
The Hijaz scale has a distinctive Middle Eastern or Mediterranean sound with its augmented second interval. It creates an exotic, mysterious atmosphere that's perfect for creating transportive musical journeys.
Emotional Quality: Exotic, mysterious, spiritual
Amara Scale
Example: D Amara - D, E, F, G, A, C, D
The Amara scale has a dreamy, ethereal quality with its pentatonic structure. It's particularly suitable for meditation and sound healing due to its harmonious intervals.
Emotional Quality: Dreamy, peaceful, harmonious
Celtic Minor Scale
Example: D Celtic Minor - D, E, F, G, A, C, D
The Celtic Minor scale creates a folk-like, storytelling quality that's reminiscent of traditional Celtic music. It's excellent for narrative musical journeys and emotional expression.
Emotional Quality: Nostalgic, storytelling, emotional
How to Choose Your Handpan Scale
Selecting the right scale for your handpan is a deeply personal decision. Here are some factors to consider:
Emotional Resonance
Choose a scale that evokes the emotions you want to express or experience. Minor scales tend to be more introspective, while major scales are more uplifting.
Musical Background
If you play other instruments, consider a scale that will complement them when playing together.
Intended Use
For meditation and sound healing, scales with fewer dissonant intervals often work best. For performance, more complex scales might be preferred.
Listen Before Buying
Always listen to sound samples of different scales before making your decision. The emotional response you have to a scale is the most important factor.
Experience Different Scales at VibrationalHealingSchool
During our handpan training courses in Rishikesh, students have the opportunity to play and experience multiple handpans with different scales. This hands-on experience is invaluable in understanding which scale resonates with you personally.
Learn More About Our CoursesExperience Handpan Scales in Person
Join us in Rishikesh to experience these beautiful scales in person and discover which resonates most deeply with your musical journey.
Explore Our Handpan Courses