Heard of a Hang?

[Cotty]

Just discovered this instrument. Only created in 2000

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hang_(instrument)

This is what it sounds like
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xk3BvNLeNgw

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GedhLjNyzEE&t=...

[vsonix]

Yup, they're lovely things. But very expensive hence every time you see one being used it tends to be in the hands of some crusty trustafarian named Crispin who lives in a mobile yurt, doesn't have to work and is constantly surrounded by sickeningly gorgeous hippie chicks who he's shagging (came for the free acid, stayed for the tantric sex), often several at a time.

If you're into the sound, check out the group 'Portico Quartet', they've based their act round them (first couple of albums, at least).

If you don't want to pay the €5000 or so for the real thing that's made by Swiss monks at a rate of three a year, there are a few similar instruments you can get from the likes of Thomann, they're not as well made or nice to look at but the sound is quite similar and they come in a range of scales and tunings, search for 'Tongue Drum'.

[joshleb]

Not to be a dick, but what's the point?

It's not massively dissimilar to steel pans or something along those lines, and just seems to be for the sake of it?

I know you can say this about all innovations and where would we be without them, but I can't see this being a world changing innovation.

But hey, people can play and enjoy it if they want, go ahead!

[bunchofkeys]

Are these a mini upside down steel drum? Seem to sound the same, just portable.

More like the laptop to the desktop thing.

[vsonix]

joshleb said:

Not to be a dick, but what's the point?

It's not massively dissimilar to steel pans or something along those lines, and just seems to be for the sake of it?

I know you can say this about all innovations and where would we be without them, but I can't see this being a world changing innovation.

But hey, people can play and enjoy it if they want, go ahead!

It is basically a steel pan drum but with a warmer, mellower sound and tuned to different scales, more precise control over pitch, intonation, timbre etc etc etc. You can't really play a steel pan drum without it sounding like you're trying to do a calypso thing whereas these do have a fairly unique quality.
And of course a steel pan drum is concave whereas these, you play the outside rather than the inside.

Ultimately if a steel pan drum was a banjo, these would be more like a classical guitar. The basic principle's the same but the end result is quite different.

[Cotty]

joshleb said:

Not to be a dick, but what's the point?

You could ask what is the point of any instrument

[Turn7]

Not heard or seen them before, but I quite the first clip, not a bad sound tbh....