I gotta get me one of these. I'm signed up on the list to be notified when they are made available. Oh, and you won't have to fly to Switzerland and pay $6,000 to get one either.

http://pantheonsteel.com/

Mark,

Thanks for finding this! Very cool!

Bruce (koreabruce) pointed out a Hang drum to me at Potomac that was really interesting to listen to (seen in one of the festival photos as a wok-sized flying saucer held on the lap).

The kids have been enjoying the Shelly Stenzel drum I brought home, and my eldest daughter coincidentally asked me if I could get her a steel drum. I told her she'd probably have to build one out of a 55 gallon barrel.

Shortly thereafter, I noticed Geoffrey's post about the Moyo Baby steel tongue style drum, which also is very cool, and is reasonably attainable with a pricing of $355 including shipping.

I am intrigued by the Halo drum Mark has posted here, but a little startled by the price, $1,500. The one they have on eBay is up to $3,040 right now. Well, the market will determine the "right" price. For now, I'll get on the mailing list too.

Since I'm going to INAFA I have a little bit more budgetary restraint, but these are some really nice drums. Perhaps my daughter may be getting a drum for Christmas. Maybe she'll have to let me play it too.

Jefferson

Jeff,

The one on ebay was put there to help out a friend of Pantheon Steel. I'm told it will sell for around $1500, which is the starting price. The hang drum sold for $4-6,000 and you had to travel to Bern, Switzerland to buy one. This is a steal compared to the original hang drum and it's produced in the states, which is really cool!

Mark... check out the moyo drums at www.moyodrum.com . I have one from Rick and Linda... It's perfectly tuned and loads of fun... plus they're great folks to talk to!

I am partial to the Zen Tambour:

http://exoticvessels.com/zentambour/

I love the designs and the tunings that they are availble in. The Pygmy scale is particularly cool.

Ed

here's another option from Germany. Nadine Berger plays these, they sound great
http://www.caisa-music.com/

I Love those too Ed! The sound is Particularly Sweet....and the art is Incredible!!!!!

Those Zen Tambour drums are really nice! Sound great and beautiful paint. I really like the patina color selections. Gorgeous!

So thus far, pricing wise, we have the "low end" Moyo drums, slightly higher Zen Tambour drums, and really high end Halo drums. Choice is often a good thing (but not always when there's too much like at the festival flute vendor hall, way too tempting).

I wonder which one I'll choose, for my daughter that is!

Jefferson

Hi Mark,
I had acquired a Hang back when they were $450. This was a lot of $$$ for us for a "toy'.
Don't play with it as much as I'd like to but did hear some rumors about how the prices had gone up.
Checked them out on Ebay and was surprised to find out I had a drum that was worth more then our two cars combined!

I think as more folks get to making similar drums the price will come down....
Kuz

Gosh!! Either those things are priced ridiculously high ... or you need new cars, Kuz!

LOL

Hey Kuz,how do you like the playability and sounds of your Hang anyway? Did you go the Switzerland to get it too?

Back then Krantz was selling them in the States.
He would come to Echoes and Hang out. I made the "mistake' of sitting with one and was lost. Miss Shenna saw me sitting with it and knew it was a done deal

Though the newer ones are a bit easier to play, I love this instrument and have a hard time getting anyone who sits with it to put it down.
It's an extremly mesmerizing experience.
Too bad it's gotten so hard to acquire.
I've played other types and though they are cool in their own way, the Hang is the Hang
Kuz

Kuz
If it were me I would sell the drum and buy the cars! If anyone wants to pay me that kind of money for one of my flutes it is all theirs!

Yeah, but cars come and go, the Hang opportinity will never happen again
Heck, for that kind of money i'd sell all my flutes, my tools, my van and throw in a slightly used wolf (don't tell her I said that, she's very sensitive:>)
Kuz

Oh gosh you guys.....do you have to keep talking about new instruments?

First I drool over all the beautiful flute photos and sound clips and want all of them....then I read about Udu's...and I would love to have one of them too. Now you talk about these cool metal drums. I have never heard about them before and looked them up on YouTube to learn about them. Now I would love to have one of these or several too......stop tempting me with all these cool instruments! I WANT THEM ALL!

I love this clip of a fellow playing "We Three Kings" on one of these Hang drums.....Love it....Love it!
We Three Kings on Hang Drums

We are getting a little bit of a refund back from our taxes this year. Hubby gets half and I get half to spend. Now I could buy another NAF....or an Udu or one of those Metal Drums.....Hmmmmm.....tough decisions. Unless somebody comes up with another cool instrument I never heard of in the next few weeks.

I would highly recommend one of Keiths Udus. Not sure how well it would go woth the harp but I've found it works nicely with just about any music, it's just fun and won't cost you 1000s...
Kuz

On his Buffalo Moon Flutes website, Keith Glowka says he will debut his new line of Udu drums this July 2010 at INAFA. I can't wait to check them out!

Jefferson

What about these Cool Looking ones from our Friend Ed "Greybeard" They are Beautiful! http://www.treeoflifedesigns.com/drums.html

Good call on this one Ed! I have one on order and I should have it in time for Echoes (should ship to me this week)....ask me about it if you make it to the show! If I get it in time I will have it with me! I got mine as the 18", 11 note, Ake Bono scale.

Should be a ton of fun!
~Craig

there are 2 different types of metal/steel drums talked about in this thread. the way they are created is different, the method for producing different pitches is different and the sounds they create are different

the first type is made by hammering (distorting) the metal shell in such a way as to create certain tones that form a scale. a few examples are; hang and halo. traditional steel pan drums are created this way

the second type is tongue drum where tongues are cut into a steel can or tank or shell. different sized tongues result in different tones forming a scale. a few examples are moyo, hapi, milltone and zen tambour. this group is also sometimes referred to a "hank" drums....hang+tank=hank

the first type requires more work and time to create and these types of drums are usually more expensive than the tongue drums

the sound from the hammered type is generally mellower (not better or worse)...but it really depends on the maker....I have only played with a real hang a few times, but own a HAPI and have tried a bunch of other metal tongue drums

the beat goes on.......

Hey Folks, thanks for sharing all of the other drum types available. I wasn't familiar with the Zen Tambour but will check it out. I was about to purchase a hapi drum but the zen has intrigued me.

I do want to say thanks to Mark, for elaborating on the different types of metal drums. The halo really is going to attract the "hang" market. It's the closest thing that you will get to a hang without spending hang money. Bruce is right. You can actually find people selling a hang drum online for $30,000. That's how friggin rare they are and people can ask for this price since they aren't making them anymore. The couple that created the hang tried to stop the price gouging on ebay for awhile but they finally gave up.

One more thing, the Pantheon Steel Halo isn't available yet. They're taking their time with the line. They want to do it right. The auction on ebay that they've listed is for one of their demo models. A Halo and a Zen Tambour are two different instruments. The Halo is going to have that unique sound that appeals to me while the Zen tambour will probably sound close to the hapi I was playing with. Also, the Zen, like the Hapi, may require occasional tuning. The Zen and Hapi are cool instruments but that Halo gives me a "buzz on". Udu's are really nice but not convenient to travel with. They're quite fragile.

So, this is where I'm at. As a vegan, I really don't own many "animal skin" drums. In fact, I have just one and it kind of creeps me out a bit. So, the rest of my line of drums will going to be all metal or "udu". I guess I can purchase a few Udu for around the house and local stuff and a Zen and Halo for travel. lol.

Hey Mark don't forget good old wood:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jsetll_5DYI

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q-mtEsZ2D5c...e=youtube_gdata

Ed,

Thanks for the link. That made my day. However, I'm wondering if wood would go out of tune easier than the metal tongue drums? Hmm. Still, it's very cool.

Mark....thanks for the education about metal drums....very interesting to know.

Does anybody here have a Rockcreek or Milltone? I was wondering if they are similar quality as the Hapi or Zen Tambour?

Glad you enjoyed them Mark.

I have made a number of tongue drums and a few Cajons and they are both a blast to play but very different. The tongue drums will be efected by temperature and humidity changing pitch a bit but never go out of tune. It is hard to tell but the tops are 3/4-1" thick. They are in the same family as the metal tonge drums (Hapi's, ect.) and have a very earthy sound and if you strike multiple keys you get some great harmonics. If you are going to Echoes I'll bring one along for you to play with.

The Cajons have three basic sounds depending on where you strike them, base BOOM if you hit low, SNARE as you strike above the snare and the SLAP if you strike the tip corners. Basically they replace a whole drum set.

So many toys to choose from and I guess it all depends on how you expect to use them.
Ed

Great Craig, can't wait to see it in person.

Craig,

Did you order a Zen Tambour? If so, very cool and thanks for the link. I think I actually like them slightly more than the hapi drum.

I've been thinking of getting a Halo for a bit now. I love Ed's tongue drum, but there is also something unique in the metal ones, that bell-like quality to the sustain. Different but amazing sound experience.

This page gives a very brief comparison of different options out there:
http://mymusicthing.com/handpan-roundup-re...-hank-and-hang/

Here are a few YouTube examples of several pan/tongue drums:

Halo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OBK78tRCoNQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Fl5J52WVfA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=67cvqtRzrHs
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fqVW72GzA9U
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jklV9sa4fKw
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QyzGPCx3d80

Bellart
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oOuloxR2K0I
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IhVbctJZoaU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KiPndlEf1UI

Caisa
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SHBluOFjtNc
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oQYQEfjnL3Y
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LU6ORe1eDro

Hapi
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IRGqSHZLqlw
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pPwNgAtEAwo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6KAYBP1qITo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GbzmJK-y6sk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V8NyhBIKI70

Zen Tambour
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dC1O-ghgAWk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bv0qlXfwkWg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nLhXluoL80k
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KkEEVyXEt8o
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=URAZnsDVJFk

Eclipse
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sel7m8hm0L0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vHTmt_ji2PA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cah_o_QbiAU

Thanks for posting this. I been thinking of getting one of these drums. I had a Hang that I sold and I'm shopping around for some new metal drum. Againd thanks for the post.
Dave

a panart swiss hang doesn't cost 6000 ... it's 2000 for a brand new one

ok so ...first of all. The Swiss Panart hang (the maker really doesn't like the word drum because it's not a drum) doesn't cost 4 or 6000. Where did you get that ?
For an original hang it's 2000 now.
The halo is not a hang. It's very nice indeed but has it own sound and flavour so to speak. I'msure you don't compare a rim blown anasazi flute with an Egyptian ney do you
I'm fortunate to own several of these .. so i know what i'm speaking of...
It's true that people are selling an original hang for way to much money on ebay but that's the law of offer and demand ...