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The Glory of Pan Music

The steelband is considered as the national instrument of Trinidad and Tobago, and the only musical instrument invented in the 20th. century.

The steelband movement was once considered as "violent" in the early days of pan gangs. Today it is an agent of stability and respectability where young men, women and children continue to find a place; something totally unacceptable about four decades ago.

There are now more than 100 steelbands in Trinidad and Tobago. The largest of them have more than 100 playing members. Within the modern steelband, there are two sections, the glamour section and the rhythm section. The glamour section is the part which attracts most attention and acclaim. This consists of a basic complement tenors (or ping pongs) which are the smallest, shallowest drums at six to seven inches deep with a range of 32 notes.

The middle-range double seconds and guitar pans are pairs played side by side with a range of up to 14 notes. These mainly provide chords, melodies and harmonies.

The Rhythm section consists of African skin and bass drums, congas, shak shaks (much like maracas), graters, toc tocs cowbells, tambourines, bits of old iron or anything else that might come to hand. The different combinations are what help to give each steelband such a distinctive sound.

The Rhythm section started, much like the traditional steelband, by men "knocking" together pots and pans, bottles and spoons whenever they made a "cook."
It has also emerged on its own as a new form of music.

For many years corporate companies have teemed up with steelbands in order to provide financial backing. The results were such that the band would produce "superb musical renditions" which would in turn bring "prestige returns to the sponsor.

This pan/sponsor partnership has extended to such an extent that apart from the mutual benefits involved, some sponsors, usually business tycoons, look at it as part of their corporate responsibility. Steelbands are usually named in part after their sponsor. As a result of sponsorship, many of these bands have traveled internationally, developing themselves, spreading the culture with their successes resulting in major investments for their sponsors.

Learn more about this author, Audrey-Anastasia Alleyne.
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