I'm learning the PanArt Hang drum. Meet "Dreadhang." I've been studying his techniques on this unique drum via You Tube videos. This guy's got great chops!

Notice he's wearing gloves here - because it's cold where he lives and he's experimenting with making a softer sound.

During the Winter Break on our annual visit to New Hampshire to hang out with my lovely relatives - no joke, they ARE REALLY LOVELY PEOPLE! I took my 'UFO' with me (I got some smiles as the UFO went through airport security) and played it every day for almost two hours. Since I'm most definitely a morning person (even with a 5-hour time difference) I was always the first one up on Knightland Road. One morning I got up, turned all the window candles on (a beautiful tradition in New England, where many houses sport a single candle in each window), turned on both Christmas trees, made coffee, kindled a fire, and sat in front of the fire and quietly composed until everyone awakened. Midnight, an elderly sweet old cat (she's 19!), would join me.

The layout of the instrument is unique - I'm learning to play it by patterns, and not so much by pitch or note, much like I dial a telephone number - I don't remember telephone numbers per se as much as I remember the pattern (and the tones) they make when I punch them in.

I've now composed three original songs - Soon I will share them with you!