Cymatics, derived from the Greek word meaning “Wave”, as previously mentioned, is the study of “visible sound”. And thanks to modern technology, and devices like the “Cymascope” - an instrument that makes sound or music visible, we’re now able to take a peak at the beautiful and complex structures of sound waves, in the form of detailed 3D mathematical digital analogs; of the sounds that cause the images to form.
And thanks to Handpan musician, Matthew Calder (one half of Sculpture Music), you can take a look at the Cymascope’s representation of the sound of a Pantheon Steel Halo, in the two videos embedded below...
Don’t happen to have your own Cymascope handy, but would like to experiment with the science of cymatics with your own Handpan? No problem - go old-school with a little water (be sure to thoroughly dry out your Handpan after), as can be seen in the following two videos from Hangfanuk, and Kabeção, to achieve similar effects…
Water Sound Images: The Creative Music of the Universe
PANArt are known to have collaborated with a number of scientists in the creation of the Hang, from physicists, to metallurgists. And one online source suggests that not only can the book, Water Sound Images: The Creative Music of the Universe, be found on the bookshelves of the Hanghaus, but also that author, Alexander Lauterwasser, collaborated with the Hang-makers in some way. Which seems to be corroborated by page 45 of the book, which is titled, “The instrument slope of PANArt”. Which presumably features the following image we found elsewhere on the internetz - titled, “The Hang”, by Alexander Lauterwasser...
