magical<br> A2 Celtic Minor / Amara 9 | stainless steel

With a powerful and deep sound, the Magical Handpans stand for sensuality. They symbolically imply the feminine in their form and subtle vibrations. Their magical sound field is characterized by very stable tones.
Every single handpan is carefully crafted with attention to detail. As perfectly balanced musical instruments, they are brought into optimal form and harmony. The Magical Handpans are robust and at the same time noble in their delicacy.
This handpan has its origins in Spain. A huge pressing machine supplies the raw material for a group of local manufacturers, in which the hemispherical basic shape is stamped on the highest-quality steel shells. Joint optimization always guarantees the best quality. Manual hammer power brings the Magical Handpans to their sound excellence with beat for beat.

Tuning Label : Celtic Minor
Synonym : Amara
Basic tone sequence (8+1): A/ EGABCDEG
Atmosphere : melancholic-archaic-medieval
Mode : Minor - Aeolian
Pitch : hexatonic

Semitones: 7-3-2-2-1-2-2-3

Tonal center: DING


mood description:

With this immortal selection of notes (Amara) you can easily conjure up sounds that are reminiscent of times gone by with perfect fifths and fourths. This instrument might have found its place in spiritual ceremonies in Celtic times. Compared to the full Aeolian mode, the sixth degree is absent here, making this tuning a bit more open. Especially in the upper range you can play very nice harmonies. This is one of the most popular tunings in the handpan world.

Characteristic of Amara/Celtic Minor is the jump from the DING to the first note in the interval of a perfect fifth (example DA). This jump in a fifth immediately opens up the tonal space and gives the tones above it a context. The next tone is a minor third above the fifth, which in turn is reminiscent of the natural tone series. From here there are two whole steps, one semitone, two whole steps and the jump of the minor third to the highest note of the temperament, which results from the absence of the sixth degree (Example D Celtic Minor: note Bb).

This tuning sounds particularly archaic, since many pure intervals (fifth, fourth, octave) that were already used in the Middle Ages can be played.

Another special feature results from the arrangement of the tones: In the example D Celtic Minor, the tones on the right side result in the triad of the root, in this case D minor (ADFA). On the left side, on the other hand, all tones of the major triad are one tone below the root, i.e. C major (CEGC). When playing harmoniously, the major sound impression can also be represented very easily. Not for nothing the probably most common handpan tuning.

Matching Moods:

Very well suited for playing together, improvisatively:

• C Major (parallel tuning)
• C Sabye (parallel tuning)
• B Aeolian
• E Celtic Minor / Amara
• A Kurd
• D Ragadesh

Also good for composing together:

• F# Celtic Minor / Amara
• G Aegean
• B Celtic Minor
• B Kurd
• G Celtic Minor / Amara
• G Kurd
• D Sabye