Spirit Wave Evolution D Kurd | stainless steel Handpan

Innovative, newly developed layout

The Spirit Wave Evolution deliberately differs from classic handpan design:

• Side-positioned ding for more relaxed playing, new striking techniques, and dynamic sound control.
• Unconventionally arranged tone fields, enabling modern melodic and rhythmic structures.
• A novel playing experience that inspires both improvised and structured playing.

This design combines the gentle Spirit Wave sound aesthetic with a form that encourages creative movement. The result is a handpan that not only looks different – but also feels completely new.

Warm Spirit Wave sound with spherical sustain

Despite the innovative design, the Spirit Wave sound profile remains unmistakable:

• gentle, warmly vibrating tones that resonate deep within
• full-bodied timbre that fills spaces
• a long, balanced sustain that creates meditative soundscapes

The Evolution layout additionally enhances the clarity and projection of the overtones.

Finest craftsmanship from hardened stainless steel

Specially hardened stainless steel is used for the Spirit Wave Evolution:

• high tuning stability
• robust durability
• fine response and soft playability

The precisely crafted tone fields ensure that every touch immediately produces sound – easily accessible for beginners, inspiring for advanced players.

Why the Spirit Wave Evolution?

It is ideal for musicians who:

• are looking for a warmly sounding instrument with a modern layout
• want to develop new playing techniques
• want to combine sound work, meditation, and creative freedom
• prefer a design that breaks new ground both visually and musically

Conclusion

The Spirit Wave Evolution is the next step for anyone who wants to combine warmth, depth, and modern handpan design.
An instrument that inspires – and opens doors to new musical worlds.

Tuning designation: Kurd
Synonyms: Aeolian / with root note C# = Annaziska
Basic tone sequence (8+1): D/ A Bb C D E F G A
Effect: Warm - Mysterious - Dreamy
Tone inventory: Heptatonic

Mode:
phrygian (tonal center 1st note ) = major, or
aeolian (tonal center : ding) = minor

Semitones : 7- 1 - 2 - 2 - 2- 3 - 2 - 2
Tonal center : DING or first note

Description of Handpan Tuning D Kurd: 

The Kurd tuning is, so to speak, the natural minor variant of the handpan tunings. Due to its particularly harmonious arrangement of notes, it is especially well suited for beginners. With it, you can play everything from calm and meditative to melancholic, all the way to powerful and joyful variations.

Even though this tuning can sound very sentimental, you can also create joyful soundscapes with it. For example, this results in a major triad on the second and third notes respectively. Just be aware that the second and third notes are played simultaneously. You can, of course, also deliberately use this tension to add spice to your playing and make the subsequent relaxation feel even stronger. 

This tuning is one of the first seven-tone scales that were tuned into a handpan and has become very well known on the internet through numerous viral videos.

Kurd takes its name from the Arabic / Turkish Maqam Kurd. This maqam also shares this tone selection with the arrangement of the notes if we assume that the tonal center is on the first note in the circle. This creates the full Phrygian mode, which is characterized by a semitone step (semitone) from the root note to the second note of the scale and is responsible for the mysterious sound of the scale.

However, an ambiguity remains, since the DING is a fifth below the first note and thus acts as a second tonal center, which changes the mode to Aeolian (natural minor). Depending on the playing style, you can thus switch between natural minor and Phrygian sound character. With Kurd, you can play everything from calm and meditative to melancholic and all the way to powerful and joyful variations.

Kurd shares with other minor variations (cf. Celtic Minor/ Integral) the jump of a fifth from the DING to the first note. From this fifth step, assuming that the tonal center is the DING, you have all the steps of a natural minor scale (aeolian). What is special about Kurd is the semitone step (semitone) between the first and second notes. This step is also present in the eponymous Maqam Kurd (Arabic or Turkish scale system) (cf. Semai Kurd), but also in the Phrygian mode. The Phrygian mode is used in jazz, psychedelic rock, flamenco, and fado, but also in classical music. 
 

Possible tone sequences of the Kurd handpan scale: 

Tone sequence with 12 notes: D/ (F G) A Bb C D E F G A C
Tone sequence with 13 notes: D/ (F G) A Bb C D E F G A C (D)
Tone sequence with 14 notes: D/ (F G) A Bb C D E F G A C (D E)
Tone sequence with 15 notes: D/ (F G) A Bb C D E F G A C (D E F)

Which handpan tuning is well suited for D Kurd:

Very well suited for playing together and improvising:

• F Sabye (relative key)
• F Major (relative key)
• D Celtic Minor / Amara
• G Celtic Minor / Amara
• D Aeolian
• Bb Aegean
• D Equinox
• D Magic Voyage
• D Integral
• D Pygmy

Also well suited for composing together:

• A Celtic Minor / Amara
• A Hijaz
• C Kurd
• C Celtic Minor / Amara
• F Ragadesh

Diameter: 53 cm
Height: 26.5cm
Weight: approx. 4kg
Material: stainless steel