26.11.15

The Marvelous Instrument Behind Steel Pan Music

By Marci Nielsen


Melodic sounds thrill the soul, sooth the mind and comforts the spirit. But sometimes rhythmic sounds are simply there to rock listeners physically as they dance to tunes that appeal to them. This is precisely what steel pan music does. The pans go through an intricate process which enables them to produce the diverse range of sounds for which they are known. The instruments that produce these awesome sounds are produced through a very intricate process that takes a lot of physical and mental exertion.

Creating music by using the steel pans is an art that is closely associated with the Caribbean region. Calypso songs are enhanced by the accompaniment of sweet rhythmic sounds emanating from these musical tunes. Trinidad and Tobago's musicians are famed for being the pioneers in this area.

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.

Sinking the bottom of the drum takes place next. To do this, experts use heavy hammers to create a bowl-like shape in the drum's closed end. This is when some drums tend to burst. The ones that are prone to bursting during this step are those that are very dented, rusted or too thin. This is one reason for paying keen attention to drum quality during the selection process.

After sinking the drums, experts have to identify the areas that will produce the various notes. They do this by drawing on the bottom. The spaces that are left out are then flattened. The flattening is achieved through the use of a special tuning hammer. Experts call this the counter sinking process. Like the previous phase, this one tests the mettle of the drum being used and is a step that has to be cautiously executed.

The pans go through other stages before they are ready for use in a band. These stages are known as the grooving, setting, burning, cutting and tuning. After those steps, the drums are coated with a protective finish that helps to maintain their look and the adjustments that have been made to the surface. The traditional finish used is painting or chrome plating but in recent times a powder finish has been introduced to the process.

A steel pan goes through a very detailed and intricate process before it gets to the musician. The sounds that people around the world enjoy so much are the products of, not just the musical talent using it but also the expert craftsmen who exert much effort and expertise in making it.




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