Tuesday, November 24, 2015

The Beauty Of 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.

Despite the fact that the musical tool is associated with West Indian people and culture, the sounds of steel pans echo in songs and musical compositions of varying genres all around the world. Bands that create the sounds of genres such as reggae, rhythm and blues and pop music, for example, have infused these instruments in their work.

Authentic steel pans are handmade. Experts start by selecting the right drum. Oil drums are typically used, but each pan in a steel pan set is unique as it creates a different sound. The type of sound created by each pan will depend on the type of drum used in the beginning.

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.

Once sinking is complete, the drums must be tuned. This is done by first marking out the sections on the bottom that will produce certain notes and then flattening all the non-outlined areas. For the flattening task, a special tuning hammer must be used. This post-sinking flattening, is known as counter sinking.

After the pans have been through the sinking and counter sinking stages of the process, there are other adjustments that they must undergo. These steps add tot he drums' ability to produce varying desired sounds. After the physical manipulation, the drums are coated with a protective layer using either a powder coating or the traditional chrome plating or painting. The final stage for them is a fine tuning and blending phases. At this point, they are ready for the market.

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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