NamiPan<br> D Kurd 9-10 | EmberSteel

The power of the ocean and the east wind is in the Nami Handpans. These special musical instruments are born on the cliffs of an island in the Atlantic Ocean. Every instrument is created under the influence of the elements and in harmony with nature. The unison of the surging waves of the sea flow into the sound of these instruments as much as the whisper of the wind. The sounds of the Nami Handpans invite you to surf on them and melt into the melody. The sound of handpans promotes concentration, mental relaxation, strengthens the immune system and creates a wonderful feeling of joy and well-being.

The sea gives the sound artist Daniele new inspiration every day, which he incorporates when building the handpans.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Please note that the current look of the Embersteel NamiPans can only be seen in the first two videos.

Nami handpans from Ember Steel:
The extremely long aftertaste entails an extreme wealth of overtones. These handpans are probably the instruments with the most sustain that we know. Due to the more pronounced crosstalking effects, the whole instrument seems to be singing along. This creates a versatile soundscape that is particularly inviting for slower, meditative games. This extremely mystical, spherical sound lets the player dive into other spheres and can lead to trance-like states. With the supplied handpan gloves, the sustain and the extreme richness of overtones can be weakened a little and also makes playing at medium speed possible.

The Nami handpans are made of both nitrided steel and ember steel of the highest quality. Custom-made special tunings or handpans with additional sound fields on the underside are possible after consultation with us.

Mood designation : Kurd
Synonyms : Aeolian / with root C# = Annaziska
Basic tone sequence (8+1): D/ A Bb CDEFGA
Effect : Warm - Mysterious - Dreamy
Tone Stock: Heptatonic

Mode :
Phrygian (tonal center 1st note) = major, or
aeolian (tonal center : thing) = minor

Semitones : 7 - 1 - 2 - 2 - 2 - 3 - 2 - 2
Tonal center : DING or first tone

mood description:

The Kurd tuning is, if you will, the natural minor variant of the handpan tuning. Due to its particularly harmonious combination of notes, it is particularly suitable for beginners. With them you can play everything from calm and meditative to melancholic to powerful and cheerful.

Even if this mood can sound very sentimental, you can create happy sound patterns with it. For example, there is a major triad on the second and third notes. Just be aware that the second and third notes played at the same time will be rubbing, you can of course also use this tension consciously to spice up your playing so that the relaxation can have a stronger effect afterwards.

This tuning is one of the first seven-note tunings that were built and has become very popular through some videos on the internet.

Basic tone sequence with 9 notes: D/ A Bb CDEFGA

Tone sequence with 10 notes: D/ A Bb CDEFGAC


Origin and music theory of the Kurd tuning:

Kurd adopts the name of the Arabic/Turkish maqam Kurd. This selection of tones also shares the arrangement of the tones with this maqam, assuming that the tonal center is on the first tone in the circle. This is how the full Phrygian mode is created, which is characterized by a semitone step from the root to the second tone of the scale and is responsible for the mysterious sound of the scale.

However, an ambivalence remains, as the DING is a fifth below the first tone and thus appears as a second tonal center, which allows the mode to change to Aeolian (natural minor). Depending on how you play, you can switch between natural minor and Phrygian sound character. With Kurd , everything can be played in a variety of ways, from calm and meditative to melancholic to powerful and happy.

Kurd shares with other minor variations (cf. Celtic Minor/ Integral) the jump from a fifth from DING to the first note. From this fifth degree, assuming that the tonal center is the THING, one has all the steps of a natural minor scale (Aeolian). What is special about Kurd is the semitone step between the first and second tone. This step is also present in the Maqam Kurd (Arabic or Turkish scale system) of the same name (cf. Semai Kurd), but also in the Phrygian mode. The Phrygian mode is used in jazz, psychedelic rock, flamenco and fado, but also in classical music.

Matching Moods:
Very well suited for playing together, improvisatively:

• F Sabye (parallel key)
• F major (parallel key)
• D Celtic Minor / Amara
• G Celtic Minor / Amara
• D Aeolian
• Bb Aegean
• D equinox
• D Magic Voyage
• D integral
• D Pygmy

Also good for composing together:

• A Celtic Minor / Amara
• A Hijaz
• C Kurd
• C Celtic Minor / Amara
• F Ragadesh

The sea gives the sound artist Daniele new inspiration every day, which he incorporates when building the handpans. Daniele devotes himself to each of his handmade handpans with passion. Each musical instrument is formed in a pure and unique way from the work of skilled hands. These handpans are born in a caravan workshop on cliffs in the middle of the Atlantic – shaped to the rhythm of the ocean waves, whose power and spirit are woven into the sound. This creates a clean and mysterious sound whose wave-like vibration brings the vegetative system into harmony. The Nami Handpans contain freedom, wildness and the pure power of nature.

This is how Daniele describes his work as a tuner:
The handpan is a series of experiences, trials and errors, but above all tenacity, designed to achieve quality sound results. The personal craftsmanship serves to bring to life a unique and unrepeatable instrument on every occasion. To immerse yourself in the creation process it is necessary to be calm and focused so that each hammer blow is directed towards the search for sound. Passion and love for our instruments allow us to guarantee, after many years, an extremely satisfactory result for both beginners and professionals.