The Hang for Musical Creativity

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Recently, my friend Matt Venuti played a beautiful solo in a small private setting in San Francisco. The solo was performed on an unusual rare instrument called the Hang, created in Switzerland. Below is a sample of his performance.

More about the hang and Matt below:

In the not-so-distant past two ingenious Swiss artists fused two lap-sized steel hemispheres into a structure that resembled a flying saucer. From there they sculpted an elaborate tuning matrix that became a springboard for creativity…igniting a renaissance in the world of musical instrument performance and design. Their instrument was called Hang (meaning “hand” in their language), and Matt Venuti’s latest CD, Hangisphere, unveils the wonder and beauty of this magical vessel for boundless inspiration.

Popularized by millions of YouTube viewers and countless bloggers, as well as the appearance of players jamming in public centers around the world, the Hang is one of the most widely accepted new acoustic instruments in many years, and arguably one of the most captivating and versatile of all time. The Hang is not a drum, though it is often referred to as one because it’s played with hands and fingers in a percussive manner. It has a resonance, physical makeup, and range of technique options that transcend simple classifications.

The Hang is typically played sitting on a person’s lap. From the upright position the sound can be reminiscent of harp, keyboard, acoustic guitar, wind chimes, steel pan, and bells. When the Hang is inverted the timbre recalls ethnic percussion such as Udu, Ghatam, and Tabla. Played vertically with access to both ends a player is capable of making the music of a small ensemble.

A skilled Hang player can ring it like a singing bowl, play bass lines, coax rich overtones, pluck it like a harp, chuck it like a rhythm guitar, and express beautiful melodies…even chords. A sequence of notes can induce a hypnotic arpeggio. A hand glancing the surface conjures a snare brush. Notes can be muted and bent, or resound bright and brassy.

The tone can have a buttery quality, a throaty timbre, or whisper as a soft wind or gentle rain. Effects and electronic processing can transform the Hang into the equivalent of a compelling synthesizer. It is not uncommon to hear reports of mystical experiences related to the Hang. The sounds emanating from it can soften the heart and lift the spirit of both player and listener.

The above explanation was taken from Matt’s site. Listening to him perform is always a treat.

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