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Handpan
A modal synthesis handpan with 6 vibrational modes per tone field, beating mode pairs for shimmering sustain, and Helmholtz body cavity resonance.
Modal Synthesis
6 vibrational modes per tone field with beating pairs and Helmholtz body resonance
Shimmering Sustain
Slightly detuned mode pairs beat against each other, creating the handpan's signature evolving shimmer
Helmholtz Resonance
Air cavity beneath the shell adds warm bass coupling to every strike — the handpan's signature depth
Instrument & FX
Play it as an instrument, or route any audio through the resonator as a VST3/CLAP effect
Collaborative Patch Exploration
Share a live session and shape the sound together — randomise parameters, tweak patches, and hear every change in real time
MIDI & MPE
Full MPE support for per-note pitch bend, pressure, and slide — connect any controller and play expressively
Slightly detuned mode pairs go in and out of phase, creating the handpan's signature shimmering sustain. The air cavity below adds Helmholtz body resonance.
How it works
The handpan synthesis engine uses modal synthesis based on measured handpan acoustics. Each tone field is modelled with vibrational modes reproducing the characteristic 1:2:3 harmonic ratio (fundamental, octave, compound fifth), with beating mode pairs that produce the instrument's shimmering sustain.
M. Alon, "Analysis and Synthesis of the Handpan Sound," M.Sc. thesis, Schulich School of Music, McGill University, Montreal, 2015.
Controls
- Brightness — Tone brightness (lowpass cutoff)
- Reverb — Room ambience
- Decay — Sustain length (0.25x–4x)
- Volume — Output level
- Master Tuning — A4 reference (400–480 Hz)
Effect Plugin
Also available as an audio effect (VST3/CLAP). Route audio through the handpan's modal resonator bank — incoming sound excites the same beating-pair modes used by the synthesiser.