D Hijaz Handpan

We have once been captivated by the music of maqams and created the Humayun RAV Vast. Now we decided to create a new RAV Pan inspired by Hijaz maqam.

The D Hijaz scale adds a bit more “spice” to the RAV Pan lineup. The Hijaz pan is an unusual scale in our collection as our pan drums are primarily tuned in traditional European or classic music scales. And that’s what makes this RAV Pan so unique and peculiar.

This handpan has Arabic origins. Being named after one of the Arabian provinces, Hijaz is one of the most common middle eastern maqams. It has this particular middle-eastern kind of feel to it to Western ears due to bigger (1,5 tone) intervals from the second to the third degree.

The original Hijaz scale itself is a harmonic minor scale. It is considered as a Phrygian dominant scale that is very popular in traditional Arabian music. It can also be regarded as a Myxolidian scale widely used in flamenco musical tradition (also called the Gypsy scale).

Hijaz is also known as the Persian scale. It’s also widely used in Jewish music. For example, the relative mode, The Ahavah Rabbah, is the main mode of the famous Hava Nagila – a traditional Jewish folk song often sung at celebrations.

Thus, the D Hijaz RAV Pan is a major version of the Phrygian scale. The Ding is tuned in D3 while the tongues are in the 3rd, 4th and 5th octaves. There are two halftones in the note layout. One between the notes D4 – D#4, and another between F#4-G4. Due to many half steps, this scale can be tricky for beginner players but is likely more quickly learned than the Arabian Nights or the B Onoleo RAV Vast steel tongue drums, based on Middle-Eastern scales.

Similar to the harmonic minor scale, the progression resolves well on the bottom and centre note, allowing players the freedom to create both tension and release in the compositions. In addition, the augmented intervals provide a sense of conclusion.

Being a major scale, the D Hijaz RAV Pan provides an energizing and motivating feel. Furthermore, this RAV Pan accentuates the mystical sound of the handpan and is just a perfect drum for musical expression and story-telling.

To enhance the sound of the instrument, we’ve added the Heartbeats air diffuser. When staying in the open positions, the Heartbeats redirect the sound waves and make the drum sound stronger and more profound. It also stabilizes the frequencies to provide a cleaner sound. Always make sure you open the Heartbeats before you start playing and pull it back to a closed position when storing or transporting the RAV Pan.

For whom this drum will work

This RAV Pan is made for sophisticated players who are looking for very specific handpans for sale. This scale is on a high trend. Once introduced in the handpan world, the Hijaz scale has become popular with melodic and percussive players. It is a high-quality professional handpan that can become a rare pearl in your handpan collection, especially if you’ve been looking to buy something specific and unusual.

The D Hijaz handpan has common cultural origins with the B Onoleo, Arabian Nights and the G Humayun. However, it will be a real challenge to pair these drums.

The D Hijaz will sound well with the D Major RAV Pan, the D Major RAV Vast, B Minor RAV Vasts and the B Kurd. As for the other instruments, this RAV Pan will sound particularly well with any Middle-Eastern instrument, for example, darbuka or doumbek. Together these drums will create a peculiar atmosphere.