Peter Wallace - Handpan Healing and Stepping Into the Light

In this episode of Handpan Voices, I’m joined by Peter Wallace, also known as The Simple Scotsman, for a wide-ranging conversation about handpan, sound healing, community, creativity, and stepping into the light as a musician.Peter shares his journey from piano, bass, guitar, didgeridoo and percussion into the world of handpan, including the moment he first discovered the instrument through Daniel Waples. We talk about what it means to stop trying too hard, play with more space, and allow the handpan to breathe.A major part of this conversation explores Peter’s work with sound healing. He explains how different handpan scales can shape a session, why he thinks of a sound bath almost like a full-course meal, and how the instrument can be used to calm, ground and support people in different environments.We also talk about the personal side of playing: self-doubt, failure, vulnerability, open mics, community, and the importance of being gentle with yourself as you grow. Peter shares how asking the question “how can I serve?” changed the way he approached music, performance and opportunities.Later in the episode, we discuss the Neotone, digital handpans, recording, live setups, teaching, and how technology can help players explore more scales and ideas. Peter also talks about building the Kentucky / Cincinnati handpan community, organising local gatherings, and his upcoming Celtic-inspired album Highlander.A thoughtful and generous conversation about handpan as an instrument, a healing tool, and a way of connecting with others.Topics include:Peter’s musical background before handpanDiscovering the handpan through Daniel WaplesLearning to slow down and play with spaceHandpan and sound healingChoosing scales for sound bathsPlaying background music and open micsStepping into the light as a musicianFailure, patience and being gentle with yourselfNeotone, digital handpans and recording ideasBuilding the Kentucky handpan communityPeter’s Celtic-inspired album HighlanderGuest links:Peter Wallace / The Simple ScotsmanWebsite: https://www.assurancesessions.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/simplescotsman/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AssuranceSessionsBandcamp / Highlander album: https://assurancesessions.bandcamp.com/album/highlanderHandpan Voices is a podcast exploring the people, stories and culture around the handpan world.#Handpan #HandpanVoices #SoundHealing #PeterWallace #TheSimpleScotsman #Neotone #HandpanMusic #HandpanPodcast