The Hudeel - A Handpan-Esque Steel Udu Drum

Interesting variations on the classic Handpan design are always fascinating.  In the past we’ve had the Ohm from Dave’s Island Instruments, an instrument made of the steel tongue drum, mixed with the Handpan. More recently the KUNDA, from Vision Instruments, a stringed Handpan instrument. And even arguably the Gubal, from Hang-makers PANArt themselves, is a hybrid-Handpan of sorts.

 And while the following new instrument, the Hudeel, like PANArt’s Hang Gudu, defensibly has more in common with an Udu, than a Handpan. Listening to it under the hands of a well-known player like Kabeção (below), you can clearly hear that the instrument shares certain tonal qualities with the Handpan. In addition to having a familiar Handpan-esque shape. And transferable skills.

We recently took a second look at the concept of PANArt's Gamelan-style Pang orchestra, and while we can see the appeal of an instrument like the Hudeel regardless of any Handpan connection (real, or imagined), with PANArt having turned their backs on the Handpan scene a-whiles back, if the Handpan is ever to have a legitimate steel-orchestra all of its own, instruments like the Hudeel, will likely form a part of it.

For more information you can find the Hudeel at Facebook: HERE

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