********************* (CARIBBEAN) STEEL DRUMS ********************
MIDIS - listen to some music

Accordianman's Steel Drum midi page - it's difficult to sit still
when you are listening to the music on this web page.
	http://user.aol.com/accrdnmn/caribbean.html

********************** BRIEF INTRODUCTION ***********************

The Steelpan is the national instrument  of Trinidad and Tobago.
It is made from a 55 gallon steel oil drum ( new or used ). 

The steel pan  was developed in the late 1930s. The people wanted 
an  instrument to express their music and rhythm. They would beat 
out rhythms and harmonies on anything, including metal trash cans.
By hitting pieces of metals , they noticed  that a harmonic sound
was produced, depending on the thickness of the metal.


Steel bands grew in the Caribbean and spread throughout the world.
The steel pan  is used  in reggae bands, rock groups, classical 
ensembles, jazz combos, and other kinds of music .

The steel orchestra is composed of different steel drum instruments
such as tenor, quadrophonic , guitar, cello,  and bass . The drums
( or pans) produce sounds ( and rhythms). 

The Nine Base consists of nine drums with a range of 27 notes.
The Double Guitar is made up of two drums and is used mostly 
as a rhythm instrument for playing chords.

Check out the website below for a detailed explanation of the instruments 
and for how the drums of steel developed into musical instruments. 
	http://www.seetobago.com/trinidad/pan/bands_tt.htm#steelpan


********************** OTHER LINKS ********************************

the instruments and history
	http://www.seetobago.com/trinidad/pan/bands_tt.htm#steelpan

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about the origin of the steel drum
	http://www.blarg.net/~toucans/aboutPan.html

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Play a steelpan: With a java-enabled browser, you can play the steelpan
on this site.
	http://www.steelpanresearch.com/