CHOOSING MY IDIOPAN

Idiopans are made in four different sizes, five different models, and a wide range of different colors. That is definitely a lot to consider when you are wanting the perfect Idiopan to fit YOUR individual needs. Here, I will share with you some important things to know about each model to help you make that final decision. 

First, the best question to initially ask yourself is, "What do I want out of my Idiopan?" Though there may be endless answers with that question, some possibilities may include but are not limited to: Meditation,  composition, therapeutic purposes, live performance, or self-practice and playing. Of course, your answer could be a combination or all of those answers, but every Idiopan utilizes a different voicing to further accompany what is best suited for you. I will now explain a bit about each one, which may hopefully fill in some of those blanks you may be asking yourself. 

          The Bella: Only six inches in diameter, The Bella is a very lightweight and portable Idiopan, and is perfect for beginners and children. It is designed with six tongues and is initially tuned to G Major Pentatonic, ranging from G4-G5. The Bella is very useful for wanting to experiment with the Idiopan sound, but not make the immediate commitment to a more expensive drum.  

          The Lunabell: The 8" model Idiopan, is designed with eight tongues and comes initially tuned to A Major Pentatonic, ranging from E4-B5. It has a bit more range than the Bella, all while maintaining a portable, lightweight size. The Lunabell has a very crisp high tones, and is the Soprano voice of the Idiopans, making it a great soloing insturment.  

          The Domina: This is the twelve inch and original model Idiopan.  It's well-balanced, rich tones created the standard in which Idiopans are designed to sound like. Similar to the Lunabell, it is designed with eight tongues but is initially tuned to C Major Pentatonic, ranging from G3-D5. The Domina is considered the Alto voice for Idiopans and its bigger tongues make the striking surface much easier to play than the smaller models. Though it is not as portable as the six or eight inch models, the Domina sits comfortably in one's lap or even using a drum stand.  

         The Dominus: Our biggest Idiopan to date, the Dominus is fourteen inches in diameter and is designed with ten tongues, ranging from E3-D5. Tuned initially to the G Major Pentatonic scale, the Dominus provides even more range and probably the most universal capabilities when playing harmonically or melodically. It maintains full bass tones without compromising any of the higher range which can be useful for more in-depth playing.  

        The Dual Tone: The Dual Tone is a revolutionized Idiopan, that truly creates a unique and mesmerizing playing experience. Like the Dominus, is it fourteen inches in diameter but is designed with eight sets of tongues, each doubled with an octave tongue, providing sixteen individual tongues. It is initially tuned to E Major Pentatonic ranging from B2-F#5. The nature of the tongue design allows you to play each tongue with its doubled octave, while maintaining the capability to mute the over tones and play each tongue individually, making it the most diverse and full sounding Idiopan model.  

Color is one of the final decisions on which you think is best suited for you, and fortunately we utilize a maintenance-free powder coated finish, ensuring whichever you choose to be long lasting and durable. Also, each Idiopan comes with the option to have pickups installed, which adds a whole other dimension to these instruments (click here for the link to read about the benefits of playing with a pickup installed).   

Though I hope that those descriptions shed a light on what may be best for your needs, I always suggest watching videos to find what suits your individual needs best. The Idiopan community is a rapidly growing one and you can easily find video content on Instagram, Youtube, Facebook, and of course, our website here. When browsing online, just search our name or #Idiopan to find community posts and more videos. If you have any other additional questions or concerns about Idiopans, please contact us on any of our various social media platforms, or here directly on our website.  

Happy playing, 

Logan