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.
A musical instrument that has deep and immediate ties to the Caribbean, the steel pan has traditionally been linked with Calypso ad other West Indian based musical art forms. One nation though, Trinidad and Tobago, is the first that comes to mind when this instrument or the sounds it creates are mentioned. This is because this island nation is actually the literal foundation of the music.
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.
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.
After selecting their ideal drums, they have to sink the bottom. They do this by beating the closed end of the drum in with a heavy hammer. This creates a bowl-like appearance. Some drums may burst during this process. The ones that usually burst at this point are those that are rusted, heavily dented or extremely thin. This is another reason to pay keen attention to drum quality during the selection 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 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.
It is clear therefore, that the effort that goes into making one of these instruments plays a significant role in the resulting melodies that people around the world enjoy. Many do not recognize it, but the makers of the tools also help to deliver the mind blowing sounds that come from the bands of musicians that use these instruments.
A musical instrument that has deep and immediate ties to the Caribbean, the steel pan has traditionally been linked with Calypso ad other West Indian based musical art forms. One nation though, Trinidad and Tobago, is the first that comes to mind when this instrument or the sounds it creates are mentioned. This is because this island nation is actually the literal foundation of the music.
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.
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.
After selecting their ideal drums, they have to sink the bottom. They do this by beating the closed end of the drum in with a heavy hammer. This creates a bowl-like appearance. Some drums may burst during this process. The ones that usually burst at this point are those that are rusted, heavily dented or extremely thin. This is another reason to pay keen attention to drum quality during the selection 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 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.
It is clear therefore, that the effort that goes into making one of these instruments plays a significant role in the resulting melodies that people around the world enjoy. Many do not recognize it, but the makers of the tools also help to deliver the mind blowing sounds that come from the bands of musicians that use these instruments.
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