Last May, we were thrilled to participate in the inaugural US-based Women's Handpan Gathering, Super Bloom, nestled in New York's Catskill Mountains. Celebrating this unique assembly, we crafted a 9-minute highlight reel showcasing the joy and connections formed at this empowering event.
Super Bloom welcomes all who identify as women, offering a space for learning, rejuvenation, and music-making, with a special invitation for others to witness this unity through our video.
This year, we're excited to return, offering amazing prizes and an array of We Play Well Together instruments for participants to explore. Super Bloom stands as a testament to the strength and creativity of women united by music, set against a backdrop of nature, with a program designed for relaxation, exploration, and shared musical experiences.
SPACEDRUM®, the intuitive handpan, is a metal melodic instrument inspired by the original steel drum (aka the steelpan) and by the Hang® invented by PANArt® in 2000. Metal Sounds' handpans have been designed and handcrafted since 2006, and were the first handpan producer in France.
As requirements, tastes, and desires vary, Metal Sounds offers two different lines of handpans:
The tones of this chime are beautiful. I have it hanging where I can walk by and play it often.
The items arrived in a timely fashion. Thanks for a smooth transaction!
the craftsmanship, (and craftswomanship) is incredible, and her sound. so resonant and otherworldly. I'm so happy with my new Monolina in G. I can't wait to play her for my community. Thank you Gabriele for your outstanding customer service.
This has such a lovely sound! I can’t wait to start learning how to play!
A few years ago I became casually interested in the Kalimba because of its simplicity of design and playability. Without experience or a good point of reference I needed to taste a lot of flavors to sort out the choices. For a while, my discards kept the local Goodwill store supplied with inventory.
The feeding frenzy stopped when I discovered Hokema. Build and material quality is professional grade. The tines are not stiff, so you can play at any intensity without stressing a thumb nails. Resonance from the solid wood base and the resulting sustain are simply stunning. Even the high notes sing, unlike the flat 'tapping an aluminum pan' sound from my discards.
I first purchased the B-17, and later the smaller B-17 Mini. Comments above apply to both. There is no problem holding, playing, or carrying around either instrument. The Mini's smaller footprint might be more comfortable for small hands. I just like the smaller package. Because the B-17's wood block is wider, it has more space between the tines. Both instruments appear to use the same tine assembly materials, but the Mini has a shorter cross bar. The Mini's tine spacing is grouped, but they can be adjusted to make the spacing more uniform like the B-17. In that mode, even with the smaller block the tine spacing is noticeably wider than some other Kalimbas I've tried. My thumbs are average width for a 5'8" person and my nails are normally rounded (not pointed), and I have no trouble playing individual notes.
Tablature is available around the net for 17-key Kalimbas (RiffSpot has a nice ebook), so you can play tunes without reading music on both the B-17 and B-17 Mini.
