The Steel Drum
The steel drum invented by Ellie Mannette between 1880 and 1937 is part of the percussion family. Sometimes referred to as the steel pan, pan drum, or pan has roots going back to West African cultures. They are the national instrument of Trinidad and Tobago. The steel drum is used during carnival celebrations.
The steel drum has its roots in West Africa where people played drums with skin and various materials. These traditional drums were brought to Trinidad and Tobago during the 19th century and played during carnivals. “Band Wars” emerged and sometimes involved street fighting. Because of this the carnivals and traditional drumming were banned. So people began to use their imaginations to by -pass the rules. Creating drums with bamboo, steel cans, buckets , trashcans, and finally oil barrels. Today there are numerous types of steel drums such as: tenor pan, double tenor pan, double seconds pan, bass pan, double guitar pan, and cello pan.
The steel drum is made from an empty 55 gallon industrial oil drum. The cylindrical part of the drum is cut off, formed into a bowl, and then tuned. Finally, the drum may be painted or plated with chrome. The drums feature a variety of surfaces which are divided in the drum to produce different pitches. The larger the gong, the lower the tone.
Steel drums are typically used to play calypso music, Latin, and Jazz Fussion. The players are called pannists and they tend to play in steel bands or ensembles with 4 to 100 performers.
How do I play the instrument?
Steel drums make sound through vibrations. Played by striking the gongs with rubber-tipped mallets. to play you just stand 4-5 inched from instrument, hold the mallet and strike the drum. Higher pitch drums require thinner rubber tips and lower pitch drums require thinker softer tips. Some players use 4 mallets, 2 in each hand.
Are there any instrument similar to this one?
The hang, a German instrument, is similar to the steel drum.
How long does it take to learn?
The steel drum is relativeley easy to play. Some sources say it takes about 20 hours to learn. They can also be played without any knowledge of music.
Is there special equipment needed for the instrument?
Rubber tipped mallets are required to play the instrument. Some drums need to be placed on a stand.
Rock with a Star!
Let’s enjoy the sound of this instrument through this wonderful performance by Len “Boogsie” Sharp
Boogsie was born in Trinidad and Tobago and is considered to be a legend steel drummer. He plays with a bluesy and groove-oriented musical style. He arranged music for phase II pan grove, one of the most famous steel bands in the world, and won several competitions.
