Stringed Instrument that plays like a hang drum

Hi - Another invention:
Just got this thing figured out
and built -- a four-day project with
a number of challenges, but am happy
with the results. This thing's scale,
tuning and fingering layout is the same as a metal hang drum, obviously with a lot different tone/sound. It uses
bronze-wound guitar strings -- with
same tension as on a guitar. Seven
strings run down the instrument's side
and the central "ding" runs down the
middle. I've just put basic building information on my webpage at:
http://DennisHavlena.com
should anyone want to duplicate this
beast. One advantage over a metal
hang drum is that the strings can be
tuned any way you want. The tuning here
is D minor pentatonic (same as in my
PVC tubing instrument YouTube video).
Despite the gawky appearance, the
action/mechanism works quickly and is
quite responsive, with no "bounce" and
very little wood clatter.

GREAT NEWS: although a real, Swiss-made hang drum is extremely difficult to obtain these days, Pantheon Steel, a maker of beautiful steel drums ("steel pans") is just starting to sell their version of the Hang drum called the HALO hand-pan. See halo.pantheonsteel.com for details.
They have a demo video & the Halo sounds beautiful!

Later note: also see this youtube video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JnuotnkspEo

Category:

Music

Tags:

• DIY
• make
• build
• stringed
• hang
• drum
• instrument
• Havlena
• guitar
• strings