The scale of a handpan refers to what notes are selected and how the notes are arranged on the instrument, which determines the range of pitches and the musical scale it can produce. It's basically about how the notes are laid out on the handpan.

Since handpans can't cover all the notes like a piano, different scales have been created by arranging the available notes in different ways.

Each scale has its own unique range of pitches and musical possibilities. When playing a handpan, you can experiment with different striking spots and how hard you hit it to explore the different sounds and musical expressions of the scale.

By getting familiar with the arrangement of notes and the intervals between them in different scales, you can express your musical ideas more freely when playing the handpan.

The wide variety of scales in handpans is driven by the creativity and demands of both the makers and the players. Different scales can inspire different ideas and creative approaches, which keeps the players interested in the diverse choices available.

Furthermore, the diversity of scales is influenced by the needs of different music styles and cultural backgrounds. Certain scales may have a stronger expressive power in specific music genres. For example, the Hijaz scale commonly found in Middle Eastern music or the major and minor scales commonly used in Western classical music. Players can choose specific scales to create certain musical emotions and styles.

In summary, the diversity of scales in handpans is a result of a combination of factors, including musical traditions, player demands, individual creativity, and market influences. It provides players with a wide range of possibilities for musical expression and creativity.