Basics of Steelpan: What is a Steelpan?

It’s more than just a drum.

Every story has a beginning. Whether you’re learning about it for the first time or looking to freshen up your memory, knowing where it started is crucial to understanding what makes it so special. This is especially true for an instrument known to the world as the steelpan. So let’s start from the beginning. 

The steelpan is a pitched percussion instrument which was invented in the twin island Republic of Trinidad and Tobago in the late 1930’s (roughly 1938, the exact year is unclear). Although the first type of steelpan had a very small range and the notes were barely tuned, the modern pan is standardized, chromatically pitched and played by striking two (or sometimes more) mallets with rubber tips on the surface of the instrument. The size of the rubber and length of the stick is dependent on the type of steelpan that is being played. 

Made from a 55-gallon oil drum, there is a rigorous process that goes into making a steelpan which only trained professionals can handle. Each instrument takes around 40 hours to complete, from the initial sinking, to shaping, tuning and if needed, chroming the drum. 

Although it is sometimes referred to as the “steeldrum” the correct term is “steelpan” because it is an idiophone which by definition means that it creates sound through the vibration of the instrument itself when struck. “Steelpan” is also the term that is used in its country of origin and by the founding fathers of the instrument. It is derived from the slang term of calling it a “pan”, which refers to its bowl shape, jokingly referring to its resemblance to the cooking tool.

The steelpan is the national instrument of Trinidad and Tobago and has now become a worldwide phenomenon as it has found a place as a globally recognized instrument, including the United States, England, France and Japan, to name a few. As the only acoustic musical instrument to be invented in the 20^th century, the steelpan is still relatively young and though it has greatly evolved, there is still a lot more room for growth and development.

Images courtesy of Augustus Peters Steelpans.