Roland is a well known synthesizer brand, however, they’ve surprised the music world with their new creation, an acoustic handpan, designed for exploration and relaxation.
Roland just announced a new instrument of sorts. It’s called The Mood Pan and is an acoustic handpan, allowing users to create calm and relaxing sounds. The idea behind it is to encourage musical exploration and meditation through your fingertips.
A handpan comes from the original steelpan instrument that has been popular in Trinidad and Tobago. It’s been around since the 1930s, where it grew in popularity. However, this handpan is an adaptation of this.
Being lightweight and portable, and using your fingertips instead of sticks, means it allows musicians to create sound anywhere at any time. This item is particularly great for those who enjoy being at one with nature, and activities such as yoga and meditation.
Traditional handpans and steelpans are complicated. They aren’t easy to master. However, this version seems to be more straight forward, opening the instrument up to other musicians. There are visible pads representing notes, and the pads are set to scale.
Roland said anyone can play it, and it’s impossible to hit a wrong note. The design is pretty simple, and it doesn’t take much to master, so it seems. With a 2.1 built-in speaker and a Bluetooth receiver, you’re able to use outsourced audio.
With the pan, you can use various percussive sounds, such as; the tongue drum, gamelan, crystal bowl, and singing bowl. You can use an affiliated app to tune the pad and its sensitivity. Just tap away and bring the sound to life.
The best part is, it brings a classic to modern day as it has a USC-C MIDI port to trigger sounds on computer devices. Powered this way, or through six AA batteries (yes, six), the instrument can be used anywhere. However, it will cost $660.
