The purpose of the Panafide Method is for players to easily learn how to combine the 3 Pillars of the handpan: Rhythm, Harmony, and Melody.
There are many playing styles to explore on the handpan, and new styles are being birthed every day. But before we explore the fringes, it's important to start with the most fundamental skills when it comes to playing the instrument. So go ahead and choose your rhythm, find a chord progression that you like, explore some melody and fills, and start making some beautiful music!
The pattern that drives everything forward — the subdivision and groove that makes people move and feel alive.
The chords and chord progressions that give your music its emotional colour — the feeling underneath the notes.
The individual notes and phrases that create a sense of story — the voice singing on top of the rhythm.
Each rhythm has its own personality. Pick the one that resonates — you can always come back and try the others.
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Explore the chords available on your current scale. Find two or three that move you — then see how they sound together.
Once your rhythm and chords are locked in, the space between the chord notes is yours to explore.
Use the non-chord notes in your scale to create runs, accents, and phrases. Start simple — one or two extra notes per bar — and build from there.
A fill is a burst of notes at the end of a phrase — the musical equivalent of a breath before starting again. They signal a change and keep the music alive.
Load your selected rhythm into the studio and start building your piece — pattern by pattern.
A complete system for becoming the handpan player you want to be.
