Saturday, November 28, 2015

The Marvelous Instrument Behind Steel Pan Music

By Marci Nielsen


Soul stirring, mind soothing rhythmical sounds are a part of pretty much every culture. People benefit from their aesthetic and recreational values as they enjoy these sounds in times of relaxation or excitement. Steel pan music is one of the examples of these life enhancing sounds. The method that is used to produce this dynamic instrument is just as intricate as the tool itself.

This music originated in the Caribbean, a region whose people are known for their rich culture and extremely entertaining traditions. Countries known for their lively, upbeat calypso sounds are known also as the birthplace of this type of music. Trinidad and Tobago, in particular, is credited with the discovery and invention of this remarkable sound.

Even though the musical genre has strong ties to the Caribbean, the sounds produced are so diverse that they can be used to create the sounds of any category of musical expressions. These musical tools are found in rhythm and blues, gospel, reggae and many other types of bands. There is no genre that they cannot fit into.

Experts make steel pans with their hands and the process requires much skill and energy. They tend to start off by selecting the ideal metal drum to make the pan. This is an important step because the drum selected will, in the end, determine the type of sound produced and anyone who listens to the music these instruments produce will realize that they create a variety of sounds.

The drums selected must have one end opened and the bottom must remain sealed. The maker will sink the bottom to create a bowl-like appearance from the inside. During this step, if the drum selected was too thin, or rusted, or dented badly, it may burst due to the pressure being applied. It is clear therefore, why it is crucial to consider drum quality from the initial phase.

The sinking process is one of the steps that helps to make the instrument produce the desired notes. After sinking, the drum is once again adjusted to ensure that it produces the desired noted. It is marked to identify the areas that should produce each note. The unmarked areas are then flattened in with a special tuning hammer.

The pan will have to go through a few other stages before it is ready for use. It must be grooved, set, cut and tuned. It then has to be coated with a layer that not only protects the look but also the adjustments that have been made to its surface. Then it must go through a step known as fine tuning and blending.

It is clear that a lot of effort and skill goes into the creation of steel pans. The makers, therefore play a crucial role in bringing to the world, a sound that wows people of all ethnic and social backgrounds and preferences. This is truly a remarkable instrument.




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