Steel Pan Crafting Secrets

The steel pan, also known as the steel drum, is a musical instrument made from industrial drums. The bottom of the oil drum is pounded into a bowl shape, then further shaped and tuned with hammers to form distinct resonating surfaces. The placement of the notes on the pan is marked out with templates, and indentations are made with a nail punch and hammer. The drum is then heated and cooled to hold its tuning, before being fine-tuned with special hammers. Finally, a protective finish is added to prevent rusting.

Steel pans are made from 55-gallon industrial drums

Steel pans, also known as steel drums, are made from 55-gallon industrial drums. These drums are typically made from carbon or stainless steel and are used for the storage and transport of solids, liquids, or hazardous materials. The standard 55-gallon drum measures 22.5" by 33.0" (57cm x 84cm) and can weigh up to 80 pounds (37 kg), depending on the thickness of the steel.

To make a steel pan from a 55-gallon drum, the first step is to stretch the top of the drum to create a concave shape, using a sledgehammer with a sawed-off handle. This provides space for the notes to be played on the instrument. The depth to which the drum is sunk depends on the type of steel pan being made. Templates in the shape of the notes are then placed on the stretched surface and outlined. This ensures the correct and consistent placement of the notes.

The area between the note outlines is flattened using tuning hammers, and indentations are made on the note outlines through a process called grooving. This forces the notes to take on a slightly protruding, convex shape. Some believe that this process creates an area of 'dead' metal around each note, preventing the sound of one note from bleeding into another when the instrument is played.

The skirt (side) of the drum is then measured and unwanted portions of the drum shell are removed using an electric saw or a hammer and chisel. The length of the skirt depends on the type of pan being made and serves several acoustic functions. The metal of the drum is then tempered by rapid heating and cooling to help the steel pan hold its tuning for longer. The drum is heated over a fire until the metal turns blue and is then cooled by pouring water over it or by allowing it to cool naturally.

Finally, the tuning process begins, with small tuning hammers used to tap both the underside and tops of the notes until the correct pitch is achieved. This is a complex process, as pan tuners must place the correct combination of overtones and fundamentals around each note. A protective finish, such as chrome plating, painting, or powder coating, is then added to prevent rusting and make the steel pan more attractive.

The drum is pounded into a bowl shape

The steel pan, often referred to as a steel drum, is a musical instrument that originated in Trinidad and Tobago. It is made from an oil drum, with the bottom of the drum pounded and shaped into a bowl. This process is done by hand, using a sledgehammer with a sawed-off handle to stretch and pound the metal into a concave bowl shape. The depth to which the drum is sunk will depend on the type of steel pan being made.

The oil drum is chosen for its durable steel, which can withstand the pounding and shaping process. The drum is also chosen for its size, with a 55-gallon drum being the typical size used to make a steel pan. The drum is pounded and shaped by hand, a highly specialised skill. The maker must carefully choose where to stretch and shape the metal, ensuring the steel pan will have the correct acoustic properties and tonal quality.

The shaping process is crucial to achieving the desired sound from the steel pan. The bowl shape, created by pounding and stretching the metal, forms the resonating surface of the instrument. This surface is then further shaped and tuned with hammers to create distinct resonating surfaces that produce the unique sound of the steel pan. The bowl shape also allows for the correct placement of notes, which are hammered into the surface to create a series of dents, each one creating a different note.

The process of pounding the oil drum into a bowl shape is a skilled and labour-intensive task, requiring knowledge of the acoustic properties of the steel and an understanding of the desired sound and tonal quality of the finished steel pan.

The surface is stretched and flattened

The surface of the steel pan is stretched and flattened in several ways. Firstly, the top of the drum is stretched to create a concave shape. This is done to ensure there is enough space for the notes. A sledgehammer with a sawed-off handle is used to stretch the metal. The depth to which the drum is sunk depends on the type of steel pan being made.

After this, the area between the note outlines is flattened using special tuning hammers. This process is known as counter-sinking. It forces the notes to protrude slightly and take on a convex shape. This process also creates an area of 'dead' metal around each note. This prevents the sound of one note from bleeding into another when the steel pan is being played.

The skirt (side) of the drum is then measured and unwanted portions of the drum shell are removed using an electric saw or a hammer and chisel. The length of the skirt depends on the type of pan being made. The metal is then tempered by rapidly heating and cooling the drum. This is done to make the steel pan hold its tuning for longer. The drum is placed with the playing surface down over a fire and heated until the metal turns blue. It is then cooled by pouring water over it or left to cool naturally.

Notes are outlined and indented

The marking process is where the bottom basin of the steel pan is divided into sections that will form the different notes. The tuner copies measures for the outer notes from previously made pans and uses templates for the inner notes. The marking process can be quite challenging, especially when there are holes to account for. The tuner uses a ruler to measure the length of the outer notes along the rim. The side welds on the drums are usually positioned to face the player for aesthetic reasons.

The next step is to draw lines from the marks on the rim towards the centre. A flexible ruler or a hacksaw blade is needed for this step. The tuner then draws lines from the rim down towards the centre and makes a mark where the radial groove is to stop, 13-20 cm down. After all the radial lines of the outer notes have been drawn, their inner borders are marked. To make a smooth inner ending of the note region, a ruler is bent so that it extends 2-6 cm inwards from the end marks on the radial lines. Two people are needed for this step: one to hold the bent ruler in a smooth curve with two hands, and the other to draw the line.

The inner notes are usually marked with templates. The tuner uses the patterns to make templates by making copies of the page for each note. Then they cut out the shape of a specific note from each copy with a pair of scissors and paste it onto some sturdy material, such as linoleum. Finally, they cut the stiff template to its right shape with a knife. The tuner then spreads out the templates for the inner notes in their positions before marking to adjust the positions and utilise the space in an optimal way.

The elliptical notes are usually oriented with their length axis pointing towards the centre. An inner note is always placed as close to its lower octave counterpart as possible (but not closer than 1 cm). This makes it easier to find the octave intervals while playing, and they will be able to vibrate together. The distance sideways between adjacent notes should be as large as possible, preferably not less than 1.5 cm anywhere. If there are problems with space, the pan is probably not sunk enough.

The process of outlining and indenting notes is known as grooving. The grooving process creates an area of 'dead' metal around each note, according to some steel pan tuners. This prevents the sound of one note from bleeding into another when the steel pan is being played. However, other tuners believe that grooving is purely aesthetic. The area between each note is carefully flattened using precision hammers. As a result, each note protrudes slightly as a 'bulge', making it easier to hit when playing. Using a nail punch, indentations are gently hammered around each note to create an outline.

The drum is tempered to hold its tuning

The tuning process begins after the drum has cooled. Small tuning hammers are used to tap both the underside and the tops of the notes until the correct pitch is achieved. This is a complex art! Pan tuners have to place the correct combination of overtones and fundamentals around each note. This ensures that the correct pitch and timbral quality are achieved. Strobe tuners are used to ensure the integrity of this process.

Frequent use will make steel pans go out of tune. There is no avoiding it. The fine-tuning and blending process has to be repeated several times over the life of the steel pan. It is recommended to contact a trained professional to tune and blend the instrument.

The steel pan, also known as a steel drum, emerged in the 1930s. It is possibly the only instrument made out of industrial waste and has become an icon of Trinidadian culture. The pans used by the Valley Harps are made from old chemical containers, which are more readily available than oil drums.

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