Welcome to
Dr Pan
Based in Waltham Chase, Hampshire, UK
Easily accessed from Southampton, Winchester, Fareham, Portsmouth, Chichester, Ringwood
Learn handpan One to One with an experienced UK handpan maker
£40 - 60+ minutes
£60 - 120+ minutes
No previous musical experience required
I have handpans that you can use. So you don't even need your own handpan!
'I travel some distance to get to Dean, I'm sure I could find someone closer, but not with the skill and experience that he has. I highly recommend him for anyone looking to start or take their handpan training further.'
Private sound proof space to play without interruption.
Have you ever wanted to play a musical instrument, but it was just too difficult to learn?
If so, this may be just what you are looking for.
I have never met anyone that cannot play the handpan. Probably because it is an instrument that everyone plays differently. Until you try it, you don't know how you will sound!
Here is a video showing how I might play:
Vision
My name is Dean Richardson and I have been building handpans in the UK since 2014 for Zephyr Handpans.
During that time I have introduced hundreds of people to the handpan.
In fact, one of the highlights of my job is to hand over an instrument to a new player and show them how to play it.
Customers find it invaluable.
So I have decided to offer this service from my home in the form of one to one sessions.
I have a private (air conditioned) garden room which is ideal for this.
My aim isn't to tell you what to play, but how to play. I just want to give you the tools to find your own way.
For more information about what I cover, please see the descriptions below.
If your instrument isn't sounding at its best, I can help with that too. Perhaps it needs a tune?
I am also happy to give general advice about handpans.
07487 250040
Handpan Lessons
Sessions are £40 - 60+ minutes
or £60 - 120+ minutes
Anytime that suits you!
Introduction
Start your musical journey with my introduction to the handpan.
This is the session that I would give to someone collecting their first handpan.
Learn the basics of handpan playing.
Most importantly, learn the 'touch' and the various techniques required to get the purest sound.
We can also explore a simple rhythm as a foundation for you to build from.
Having built handpans since 2014, I can show you where all the sounds are and how to access them on your instrument.
This is not a traditional music lesson. I try not to tell you which notes to play.
Instead, I will encourage you to explore and find your own individual path.
We will probably talk about scale choice, if you haven't already decided.
I always teach this session to people who come to collect their first instrument from me. It takes a couple of hours out of my working day, but I believe it is really helpful and saves weeks, if not months of trial and error.
By the end of this session I would expect you to have a good technique and a simple rhythm in your armoury to build from. You should be able to play something that people would be happy to listen to.
One lesson maybe all that you need!
Duration - 1 session
Beginners
During the beginners session we try to incorporate a bit of melody on top of the basic rhythm.
This is a bit of a leap. It could take 5 mins or it could take an hour. Depending on your ability.
It is usually at this point that I can identify your areas of weakness and offer ways to overcome them.
Right about now you should have the 'touch', a bit of rhythm and some melody.
Keeping in time, whilst providing a melody is one thing. But doing it with a good striking technique, is something else.
I can get you doing this.
Once you can do it, we can then start to talk a little about improvising within a musical structure.
This is where the fun begins, because once you can hold the rhythm with nice technique, you can start to explore musically.
By this stage, you should be able to impress your friends!
Duration 1-3 sessions
Intermediate
Intermediate sessions are more tailored to the individual and their initial skill set.
In these sessions we could explore different playing techniques.
A particular favourite of mine is teaching triplets. Triplets just sound beautiful on a handpan and once you have the muscle memory, you can travel all over the pan doing triplets and look like a virtuoso!
Introducing bottom notes for chord changes is another way to create interest in your playing.
I can teach you to introduce shoulder tones to your play with ding harmonics.
I can even teach you to play it on its side!
These sessions are just about exploring and trying to find new ways to play this wonderful instrument. All the time expanding your handpan playing tool box.
Duration 1-5 sessions
Beginner session condensed into a few minutes
Handpan tuning
If your handpan is sounding a little bit off, then it probably needs a retune.
I can tune anything as long as it is of sufficient quality to begin with.
A standard 8 note retune is in the region of £100.
Therefore please stipulate the brand of handpan, whether it is damaged or has drifted out of tune and the number of notes to be looked at when making an enquiry.
