The RAV Vast dot com website has two pages that deals with recording specifically:
1 Like
They are quite nice indeed and quite efficient on the hang form factor.
I was not meaning to import the debate hereā¦ i failed 
i was just reporting the existing debate among instrumental musicians which is not the topic of this forum anyway.
May be hilarious but it is indeed limited. When you play with guys locked in the same tonailty for a whole set, you feel very limited too.
When i used to play with the hang player we convinced him to get two hangs with like half tone difference to get more possibilities.
The riq is an amazing instrument but i would definitely not compare it to the hang. Its range of expressivity is among the most deep in the percussion world.
I think of advantage that is not fully used in the hang family and that makes it differ from the kalimba is the percussion aspect. You cannot really feel the different velocity and the attack of the fingers is really loud and irregular in acoustic compared to the sound of the notes. A pluggable hang would maybe correct this.
Only if you feel limited by modalityā¦ But I think this is more a cultural question. Western modern music often tries to break out of modality by extending and experimenting with harmony, but take a look at Indian classical and you donāt see modality a problem anymore. I think the question is a bit similar than when we work with sequencers. I havenāt seen one contemporary groovebox sequencer that allows easy sequencing of true polyrhythms. I have played handpans for a decade and I donāt think their modality is limiting. Itās just another limitation that you accept when you start making music with them.
Yeah, but my point was that physical simplicity does not equal limited expressivity. A great handpan is definitely on the same level of dynamics and expressivity than any hand percussion. Thereās all kinds of mutes, bends, slaps, harmonic isolations etcā¦ In fact, you canāt even do that stuff on a piano, yet no one complains about it. 
Itās also good to keep in mind that the handpan is only about 20 years old instrument. There are incredibly talented musicians working with it, but we are only beginning to realize itsā full potential.
Not exactly sure what you mean by this, but with a good handpan the sound comes from the playerās fingers. They are extremely sensitive instruments that reflect playerās skill level in a very direct way!
1 Like
Yes so true. I wish the OT would implement this much better than it is. I think the Deluge was prayed for that though.
We used to busk in France with this hang player and you wonāt make a dime playing modal in the streets there
TBH the guy (and actually all the hang players i met) did not know what a scale was even less about polyrhytmy.
Still not being a chromatic instrument at least makes it limited to me (and to play Indian classic music youād need 22/24 notes!).
I have yet to see this in live action most hang players iāve seen were a bunch of lazy asses TBH making easy money without actually working on music. I think the controversy (if thereās one) would come more on the kind of new age people attracted by this instrument (mostly to boast ego) more than from the instrument itself.
For the piano, it made its way through many genres along the years, maybe the time will give a true status of instrument to the handpan.
Piano can also be used in many different ways: https://youtu.be/G7zio-SeSsw
https://youtu.be/KoZDOpRaLmk 1.28mn
1 Like
Thanks for recommendation, looks good but this price range is fully out of my range. I do not want to spent more that 150 EUR at this moment. Maybe not so original but Iām wondering about Shure SM57 vs SM58 or Beta 57A. Those are in my price range and can work for vocals as well. If this will be not enough for me I will add later condenser mic to the setup.
How about a Superlux S502 as stereo (ORTF) mic? cheap (140ā¬) and punches well above its price point.
Iād actually recommend a small diaphragm condenser for this. A Sontronics STC-1 would sound great for you, and itās more cost effective. Again, stereo pair is better if you can manage it.
1 Like
Just saw your 150 budgetā¦ A pair of STC-10 could fit! I use an STC-10 on hi hats and stuff, itās a decent mic for metallic percussive stuff
With these dynamic mics you would not get all the notes. The SMās are not good for the sound they are very basic but can handle falling and being driven over
I would also definitely go for a pair of condenser.
I can fully understand that, on a budget Id recomend a Rode M3 for 90 Euro. Very good frequency response, not the strongest signal, but decent for the price.
1 Like
@goatofneptune thanks. I watched few reviews on YT about M3 and I like it. Is very close in sound to M5. Seems one form those two will be enough for me. Iām just starting with recording acoustic instruments so should be enough to learn and investigate if I need something more. Until now I was using fully electronic gear + tascam was a door when I required something from real world. Thanks all for help. I wish all best for you and your music. Thanks Seb
If youāre interestred, check out videos from Manu Delago, KabeĆ§Ć£o, Dan Mulqueen, Nadishana, David Kuckhermannā¦ Theyāre all bringing amazing tones out of these beautiful instruments!
Yeahā¦ I know what youāre talking aboutā¦ 
Sometimes I wish people would get used to the handpan sound so that they would start listening to the music made with them. Iāve had it happen to me many times that after a gig people come to tell me how much they love my instrument, and Iām like ok how about my musicā¦ 
Iāve tried multiple mics for my handpans in the last couple of years. While in studio I might use condensers, for my gigs I prefer usually the SM57 because theyāre available everywhere and the sound is really really good. Also, if you place them correctly they will easily catch all notes.
Best (dynamic) mic Iāve heard for handpans (and probably works with tongue drums as well) is Sennheiser MD441. Incredibly warm and detailed, present sound!
5 Likes
Wow, i just discovered this thread, because i recently ordered a RAV VAST G Pygmy to play along my Matriarchā¦lots of great artist examples here. Thank you, very welcomed broadening of my musical horizon!
2 Likes
I bought a RAV Vast G Pygmy last week but had to wait until tonight to play with it and explore itā¦wow what a beautiful instrument, so many overtones, so much resonance, so many different sounds!
Now I want an Aaysa Handpan also 
2 Likes
Did you get it with those RAV sticks?
No, just the drum, bought it used off somebody locally. I have mallets at home as I have a balafon, but I think the drum gives most versatility when played with hands so Iām focussing on that.
I like the softness of the tones, when played by hand. I tried recording it, but itās actually more fun to just sit and improvise on my own.
A short teaser clip from my new live set that Iāve been working onā¦ Handpan + Octatrack, Syntakt, Grandmother, Ableton and LVX.
Really into this Finish label Vienosoundsā¦ label from Trevor Deep Jr
https://www.instagram.com/vienosound
Thereās a few tracks from Kumeasound on some of the releases - mixture of electronics and handpanā¦ really, really good.
https://www.instagram.com/kumeasound
https://www.instagram.com/p/CUDsVfFjEMs/