Extended<br> D Kurd 9-16 Embersteel

Lumar Handpans

Sound Art from the Basque Country

At the beginning of 2015, the small workshop from which we get our Lumar's began its journey to create that magical instrument, the handpan.
They are crafted in the picturesque Basque Country in Spain, a place known for its rich musical tradition and craftsmanship. Each Lumar handpan is made by hand, with hundreds of hammer blows necessary to bring it to life.

What makes their handpans so unique is their harmonious, particularly long sound and their very light touch. You practically only need to stroke them and they produce a warm, overtone-rich sound carpet.
You can feel that each Lumar is unique and a work of art in itself.

With a Lumar you immerse yourself in the world of sound art and experience the magic that arises in the symbiosis with a masterfully crafted musical instrument. Every instrument that is created is an expression of their love for music and craftsmanship.
Just what you need to acquire an extension for the sound of your heart.

Diameter: 53 cm
Height approx: 26.5cm
Weight: approx. 4kg
Material: Titan Steel (very similar to Embersteel)

Mood description : Kurd
Synonyms : Aeolian / with root C# = Annaziska
Basic tone sequence (8+1): D/ A Bb CDEFGA
Effect : Warm - Mysterious - Dreamy
Tone range: 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 tunings. Due to its particularly harmonious composition of notes, it is particularly suitable for beginners. With it, you can play everything from calm and meditative to melancholic to powerful and cheerful, with a wide variety of styles.

Even though this mood can sound very sentimental, you can create cheerful sounds with it. For example, the second and third notes each produce a major triad. Just be aware that the second and third notes will be played at the same time. You can of course also use this tension consciously to spice up your playing and make the relaxation more effective afterwards. 

This tuning is one of the first seven-tone tunings that was built, and has become very popular through some videos on the Internet.

Possible tone sequences D Kurd:

Sequence with 9 notes: D/ A Bb CDEFGA (as in Video 1)
Sequence with 10 notes: D/ A Bb CDEFGAC
Sequence with 11 notes: D/ A Bb CDEFGAC {D}
12-note sequence: D/ (G) A Bb CDEFGAC {D}
Sequence with 13 notes: D/ (FG) A Bb CDEFGAC {D}
Sequence with 14 notes (as in video): (Bb) D/ (FG) A Bb CDEFGAC {D}
Tone sequence with 15 notes: (Bb) D/ (FG) A Bb CDEFGAC {DE}
Tone sequence with 16 notes: (Bb) D/ (FG) A Bb CDEFGAC {DEF}

* 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

Origin and music theory of the Kurdish tuning:

Kurd takes 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 creates the complete Phrygian mode, which is characterized by a semitone step (semitone) from the root note to the second note 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 note and thus acts like a second tonal center, which allows the mode to change to Aeolian (natural minor). Depending on the playing style, you can switch between natural minor and Phrygian sound character. With Kurd you can play everything from calm and meditative to melancholic to powerful and cheerful, with a wide variety of styles.

Kurd shares with other minor variations (cf. Celtic Minor/ Integral) the jump of a fifth from the DING to the first tone. From this fifth step, assuming that the tonal center is the DING, one has all the tonal steps of a natural minor scale (Aeolian). What is special about Kurd is the semitone step (semitone) 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. 

Suitable moods:
Very suitable for collaborative, improvisational playing:

• 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 Raga Desh