Svaraa Handpan F2 Pygmy Embersteel

We have rarely held such resonant and sophisticated handpans in our hands. The Svaraa handpans are made with the aim of creating highly resonant instruments that sing poetic stories. Made in Delhi, the Svaraa handpans are the highest quality handpans from India. They have a magical and mystical aura. The sound is particularly touching and invites both players and listeners to immerse themselves in another world.

The Svaraa handpans are extremely well-balanced and professional musical instruments that are ideal for studio recordings and concerts. Their easy and versatile playability makes them equally suitable for ambitious beginners as well as experienced handpan players.

Under "About the manufacturer" you can also read the story of Abhinav Dheodar, the tuner and developer behind the Svaraa Handpans.

Svaraa Handpans made of Embersteel:

To manufacture the Svaraa stainless steel instruments, Abhinav Dheodar Ayasa uses bowls made of Embersteel - a special type of stainless steel. These are particularly resonant and have a fine sound. The long reverberation ensures a strong overtone richness and makes the whole instrument sing. This creates a versatile soundscape that is particularly inviting for melodic, meditative playing. This extremely mystical, spherical sound lets the player dive into other spheres and can lead to trance-like states.

Svaraa Handpans made from nitrided Ayasa Shells:

Ayasa shells are used for the nitrided Svaraa handpans. In the handpan scene, these are considered the best base material for making instruments from nitrided steel.

Nitrided steel is a heat-treated steel sheet into which nitrogen has been added. Nitrogen increases the rigidity of the material, making it harder and more stable against the strikes. This increases the tuning stability of the handpan and the player can enjoy the instrument for longer before it needs to be retuned. This type of material is initially used to make the first handpan drums and is then further developed by the handpan, pantam and sound sculpture makers.

Although handpans are now made of both nitrided steel and stainless steel, nitrided steel, the original material of the first handpans, still seems to have the greater demand among handpan enthusiasts. This type of material offers a medium sustain range, more ceramic and clay sound and high frequencies in the tones, making it good for outdoor playing. In addition, notes have a clearer and separated sound, which optimizes the Svaraa nitrided steel handpans for faster and more professional playing.

Pricing Svaraa Handpans:
Basic price for Classical Scales (Base-Note C3-G3), nitrated, 9 notes = 1990€
Basic price for Classical Scales (Base-Note C3-G3), Ember-Steel, 9 notes = 2190€
Basic price for Low Scales (Base-Note B2, A#2 or A2), Ember-Steel, 9 notes = 2350€
Base price for Super Low Scales (Base-Note G#2, G2, F#2, F2 and E2), Ember-Steel, 8 notes = 2650€

Each additional sound field +150€
Polished designs on the lower shell (only for stainless steel instruments) +120€

Custom-made Extended Handpans & Low Scales:

Abhinav Dheodar is one of the most versatile and experienced handpan makers in the world. He is one of the few instrument makers who has perfected the construction of complex instruments with up to 21 tones and very low tunings with fundamental tones of E2, F#2 or F2. We cannot display his full range and variety of possible instruments in our online store. If you are interested in his extended handpans or very low tunings, please send us a separate inquiry.

The process of manufacturing these special instruments is much more time-consuming and risky than with conventional handpans. Production can therefore take up to three months and is much more expensive than conventional tunings.

Diameter: 53 cm
Height: 28cm
Weight: 4.2 kg
Material: stainless steel

Tuning name: Pygmy
Standard pitch sequence: F2/ FGG# CD# FG
Atmosphere: Meditative - Introverted - Floating
Tonal Center: DING
Mode: Aeolian minor
Tone range: Pentatonic

Semitones: 2- 1-4-3-2-2-1-4

Mood description Pygmy:

Pygmy is an extremely popular scale. Apart from the name, the only thing this scale has in common with pygmy music is the number of tones up to the octave (pentatonic). The equi-pentatonic scale, which some African peoples traditionally use, would probably also be very unusual for our western ears. Nevertheless, this hemitonic pentatonic scale is very good for both rhythmic patterns and melodic phrases.

A special feature of both Pygmy versions is that four of the five tones are present again one octave higher, allowing the overtones to be amplified well (cf. natural scale).

Pygmy is often referred to as Dorian pentatonic . We don't understand this term because there is no sixth degree. The term Dorian pentatonic probably came about in analogy to church scales. In connection with pentatonics, this approach makes little sense because in this example the major sixth note, which is absolutely important for the Dorian mode, is missing. Apart from that, Pygmy is a very cool sounding scale!

The special thing about this Pygmy tuning is that it is a hemitonic pentatonic. This means that, unlike a normal major or minor pentatonic (anhemitonic pentatonic), there is also a semitone. This is between the first and second tone, so the first three tones of the natural minor scale (Aeolian) are present in Pygmy without a jump. In the example F Pygmy, that would be FG-Ab. From this tone, there is a jump of a major third (also called a major third) to the fifth tone (in the example: tone C). This is followed by a minor third jump and a whole tone step that leads to the octave. From here, there is the same tone sequence up to the twelfth (fifth tone in the upper octave).

Despite the presence of a semitone and its potential for friction, Pygmy is very easy and intuitive to play. Clearly recommended even for beginners!

Possible tone sequences:

Scale with 8 notes: F2/ G Ab C Eb FG Ab

Scale with 9 notes: F2/ (F3) G Ab C Eb FG Ab

Scale with 10 notes: F2/ (Eb F3) G Ab C Eb FG Ab

Scale with 11 notes: F2/ (Eb F3) G Ab C Eb FG Ab (C)

Scale with 12 notes: F2/ (Eb F3) G Ab C Eb FG Ab (C Eb)

Scale with 13 notes: F2/ (Eb F3) G Ab C Eb FG Ab (C Eb F)

Scale with 14 notes: F2/ (C Eb F3) G Ab C Eb FG Ab (C Eb F)

* Bottom notes are additional tone fields on the bottom of the handpan and are written in round brackets e.g. (DE).

Mutant handpans have additional notes on the upper shell in the second row - between the chorus and the root note. Mutant notes are written in curly brackets, e.g. {DE}.

→ You can read a detailed article about Mutant & Bottom Note Handpans here: Blog post

→ Discover our full range of Mutant & Bottom Note Handpans here

We only list the standard layouts under "Possible note sequences". On request, our handpans can also be made with other notes and in other arrangements. Simply write an email with your request to: service@handpan.world

Hello dear handpan enthusiasts, I am Abhinav Dheodar - tuner and developer of the Svaraa handpans. I would like to tell you my story here.

On my musical journey, the art of building handpans caught my attention and never let go. Fascinated by the simplicity of the construction and the dynamic, complex sound of the handpan/pantam, it is my aim to build the most resonant instruments. It is more than a passion, it has become a way of life.

I discovered the handpan in 2008. Learning to make a handpan is a long and difficult road that demands a lot. But I never gave up and kept experimenting with the craft. It took five and a half years and numerous setbacks to hold the first perfect handpan in my hands. That was a special moment that still influences me today and shows me that dedication, passion and perseverance can create something special.

During my apprenticeship I did extensive research to deepen my understanding of materials, tuning, metal crafting and much more. I was lucky enough to spend very valuable time with and learn from some of the best handpan/pantam makers in the world in Russia, France, the Netherlands and the USA. It was a very long learning process and every day I learn something new about steel and its sound.
Today, my biggest goal is to develop the warmest and most sonorous instruments that can deeply touch a player and a listener alike.

Abhinav Deodhar - Tuner, Svaraa Handpans