Hang (musical instrument)
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Three Hanghang built in 2007, 2006 and 2005 (from the left to the right)
A hang (pronounced 'hung' or 'hong') is a melodious percussive musical instrument, similar to a steel drum. It uses many of the same physical principles to operate. However, since it is struck with the fingers, the sound is generally much softer than a steel drum, and can be played in many ways to produce a large variety of sounds.
The instrument is also frequently called a hang drum, because of the nature in which it is played, its relation to the steel drum, and its popularity with hand drummers.
The hang is typically played resting on the players' lap, and can also be played on a stand. 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. Udu-like sounds can be produced with the air resonance within the clamped shallow shells, with the notes sounding 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 (in the bass version) or eight (treble version of the Hang) notes are tuned harmonically around a central deep note. The hemispheres are hardened by a process known as gas-nitriding.
The hang was devleoped in 2000 in Bern, Switzerland by Felix Rohner and Sabina Schärer (PANArt Hangbau AG) and introduced at Musikmesse Frankfurt in 2001. Its name comes from the Berne dialect word for hand.
In the spring of 2006 the hangmakers presented a new generation of Hanghang (plural form of Hang). The new instruments have an upper surface of annealed brass and a ring of brass around the circumference.
Front line: prototype hang built in January 2000 (left), Ghatam (right); second line: Three Hanghang built in 2007, 2006 and 2005 (from the left to the right)
- Oddmusic article - Includes pictures, video and sound samples.
- Research Papers - Steeldrums by Felix Rohner and Sabina Schärer
- www.hangfan.co.uk Hang music, resources and Torbz's history of the Hang
- www.hang-music.com (hang players, hang music, forum)
- The Hang Internet Index (Index of Websites dealing with the hang
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