hangforum.com - The Archive

If I ever get to play a Hang, what do I do about my wedding ring?

Did everyone think "Take it off!" or "Remove it!" at the same time?

The thing is, my ring is very snug fitting most of the time. Perfectly comfortable between the palm knuckle and first finger knuckle. But, getting it off over that finger knuckle can be really difficult. Almost impossible quite often. Much harder in warm weather or after physical activity. When my hands are cold it is much easier.

I wonder what to do if there is no soap or other suitable lubricant?

Tape over the ring? Wear a glove? Play one handed?

This must be something many of you have experienced.....please, share your tricks and tips.

Mowgli

I wear my wedding ring no problem, as I play the hang with the tips of my fingers.

I wear my ring too, because I can't remove it from my finger No problem, you just have to be a bit careful with it. But tape is a good idea.

Here are four pictures showing a number of typical playing positions on the Free Integral Hang:



1. Each tone field has three modes that sound together. Therefor the best way to play a tone field is to touch it on an area not only at a point with the finger tip. This can easily be done by using the whole first phalanx or the first and second phalanx together. In this position a ring is very near to the Hang surface.

2. When you play a tone field on the left side with your right Hand (or vice versa) the position of a ring is over the rim between Ding plateau and the shoulder of the Hang.

3. To play the Gu and Ding together you use your flat hand and the position of the ring is directly on the dome of the Ding. Impossible not to touch the dome with the ring.

4. You can caress the Hang surface with the palm of your hand. This produces a smooth sound that can contribute to your playing.

In all these positions it is very likely that the ring will often touch the Hang surface.

Because Hang playing is touching the Hang and not beating the Hang your hands are very near to the surface while playing.

If I would wear a ring I would find a way to easily take it off while playing. Otherwise my playing would lost some of the most beautiful aspects.

And everyone who wants to try out my Hang must take off his or her ring.

Michael

I too play with the tips of my fingers... Maybe I'll use the flat of the side of my thumb. I rarely lay a finger (or my palm) across the tone field or ding (that I'm aware of anyway).

Sometimes I will use my pointer finger flat across the top (and striking the ding at the same time), but rarely do I do that. It brings out too much sound so that it overwhelms the other sounds.

I would have a hard time instructing someone how I play, because I don't really know myself. I just play.

I wear my rings (one on each hand) all the time for over 25 years. Literally I have them on all those years.

When I have taken my rings off my hands to play, my playing changes - and not in a way I like so much. When I take them off I feel naked. I tend to hit my rings more when I play in the dark (which I do quite a bit) - an unfortunate side effect, but I'm getting better.

The positions in the pictures are interesting. I almost never play with my hand so flat on my handpans. I can see why a ring might totally get in the way. By the way if I were to ever get a chance to play your Hang Michael, I would take my rings off

edit: I just figured out that I hold my pointer finger and thumb in an L shape to hit two notes at the same time. In doing so, I get pretty close to the surface of the instrument.

Brushing sounds are cool too, I just never use them.

-greenoak

Hello,

yes, any Hangplayer has a different way to play. For some playing "technic" it is no problem to wear a ring.
But if you wear a ring, you are limited to find out everything, what your hands can do with the sound. You are aware, that your ring can make scratches or will detune your hang. So, you will use only parts of your hand or fingers.
The human hand is very flexible and sensible. For me a ring would be a limitation of possibilities.
I like to touch my Hang. I like the "white noise" if I stroke the surface with my whole hand. I play also very "flat" sometimes.
With my style of playing I would destroy my Hang if I would wear a ring.

Dont understand this wrong. This is only my personally way to play. If people would touch my Hang, they must take off a ring. I fear to much, that they hit my Hang with the ring. With more experience they could avoid this problem, but only with limitations of playing.

Greetings
Frank

Many thanks to everyone for all your comments!

Be Well,

Mowgli

It is unfortunate, then, that I will never know the sounds you speak of. I have no wish to know everything. It is of passing interest to understand partials and harmonics and overtones. But as I have mentioned in other threads, certain knowledge clouds the mind.

My rings mean a lot to me. One on each hand. They are buried deep into my skin. The gold has worn thin in places. Large calluses remind me of many years of joy, sorrow, compromise, and companionship with my beloved wife.

If I have to curve my hand ever so slightly in order to have a compromised relationship with my handpans, then I guess it is a reminder of the compromises I make in life everyday. You may call it a "technique", but I call it thoughtful playing. I do not pretend to know the meaning of "Listening Hands" but I strive to let go every day - and listen.

-greeenoak

I suppose you misunderstood some of my arguments. I never meant that technical comprehension is the goal. It is a limitation of an Internet forum that communication can use only words. I used technical information to transport some thoughts that I think can be very useful for Hang playing. For example by explaining that there are three modes in the tone fields I wanted to transport the thought: If there are three modes it could be a good idea to try out to distribute the impact of the Hands in a bigger area and not only to a point. If we met I would just play my Hang and you could listen and watch what I am doing. This is not possible on the Internet.

Don't get me wrong Michael. I think that people who educate themselves will have deeper knowledge. I am not that naive. I appreciate people who can play these instruments with various and beautiful techniques. I have watched people personally. I have even tried some techniques that I have seen (and not from the internet), but they do not suit me. I rarely incorporate the Gu-Du relationship because I think it overwhelms other sounds.

I do not think you are suggesting there is a right way and a wrong way to play. I would not like to visit Hanghaus and strike a tone field incorrectly only to get kicked out to the street Am I wrong in this thought?

In the end I resort to me. I resort to my playing. I resort to my ears. I resort to my hands. I hope that people do not judge me harshly for playing like me.

For the record... I took my rings off my hands tonight and played my Hang. It felt wrong. It was not me

And yes.... I think we can both appreciate that the internet is both a blessing and a curse

-greenoak

OK,

So I gave it another try tonight (rings on). But I intentionally tried to strike the whole tone field. I also used various hand positions around the ding. I was playing my Minor Pentatonic Halo.

And I must say that after 30 minutes of continuous playing, I can see what you are getting at. There are different sounds that are coming from my Halo that were not there before with simple finger-tip strikes.

I was purposefully trying to use brushing techniques and that was pretty cool too.

It may have been a frame of mind. But it was pretty cool.

(and they say keep an open mind )

-greenoak

Greenoak,

I am glad you posted your progress exploring ring free playing. Not because it reinforces the concept of playing without rings, but because it shows an open mind and willingness to acknowledge Michael's experience.

As a newcomer to the community I am disheartened by the tension filled posts I read here and at Handpan.org between some makers and players. Philosophical, artistic, and business model differences seem to be the major sources of contentious comments. I'm still sorting everything out for myself. But, I do think I can detect the difference between contructive and destructive conversation.

Setting aside language barriers, cultural differences, socio-economic variables, and personal idiocincracities, I hope we can all agree we share a mutual attraction and interest in Hang and similar styled metalurgical sound sculptures. We frequent these web sites to enjoy learning and sharing with people who share this passion.

We can accentuate the positive or the negative. The petty or the profound. I appreciate the fact you posted a reconsideration of your initial position as it tells me you are a man of humility and honor unafraid of admitting to making a mistake or forming a new understanding.

I have to constantly remind myself to be wary of my own shortcomings and charater defects and be willing to make amends when I cause harm to another. I hope more members of these two forums will follow your example and honor each others beliefs and experiences in the spirit of our shared passion.

I am reminded of a fine spiritual maxim: Energy Flows Where Attention Goes.

Be Well,

Mowgli

Hear hear!

I took my rings off to play tonight...

I just joined here, Greenoak. So what did that feel like? I took my watch off to play an SPB by Victor. It's on a rather loose band.

Edit: the Watch, not the SPB, is on a rather loose band

Sat, 9 Jun 2012 02:58:42 (PDT)

Well I meant it figuratively and literally.

Figuratively, I was being obstinant - not listening to what was being told to me. So I tried the other point of view.

Physically, I guess it was just the same really. I suppose there was some piece of mind that my rings would not clack on my handpans. So I was more willing to rest my entire hand on the vessel. But I did not prefer the muted sounds that came out. I went back to curling my hands and fingers so that I could get more pure tones - and more control of the sound.

-greenoak