Just as guitar players always seem to be on the lookout for new pedals, percussionists appear to be forever seeking unique things they can add to their armory of stuff to shake, hit, and slap. Many of the products profiled below are new—although they should be shipping by press time—and others have been around for a while. So whether you want to replace a gig-beaten congo with something fresh and shiny, or are seeking something to expand your percussion repertoire, here are eight options we’ve found to intrigue you… Meinl Percussion Sensory Handpan The handpan is often considered an evolution of the steel drum, and it’s a pretty new instrument, allegedly first appearing in Bern, Switzerland around 2001. This is a handmade, stainless-steel drum that features nine tone fields in the D Amara hexatonic minor scale (D, A, C, D, E, F, G, A, C). A dual-soundhole design ensures that […]

September 2021 Issue