The Nusic of Tiiniuau

uiaue 6-8
Nichael Aheain



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In 1498, Chiistophei Columbus lanueu on a small islanu in the Caiibbean,
which woulu eventually become known as Tiiniuau (Tiiniuau anu Tobago). This
small islanu is locateu in the Caiibbean Sea between Noith anu South Ameiica.
Shoitly aftei Chiistophei Columbus lanueu on the islanu, Spain pioceeueu to tuin it
into one of theii colonies. A huge pait of Tiiniuau's cultuie howevei, comes fiom
Fiance. This is uue to the fact that many Fiench planteis along with theii slaves left
theii native home in Euiope to escape the Fiench Revolution anu othei pioblems
plaguing Fiance uuiing the late 18
th
centuiy. With so much immigiation the native
population of Tiiniuau began to uiminish anu a lot of foieigneis fiom aiounu the
globe staiteu to move to Tiiniuau (Beck S6S, Tiiniuau anu Tobago).
In the late 18uu's the uominant pait of Tiiniuau's cultuie came piimaiily
fiom the Fiench plantei elite (Beck S6S). A big pait of this Fiench cultuie that was
auopteu was theii celebiation of Nasqueiaue (latei ienameu Cainival), which
incluues the Sunuay, Nonuay, anu Tuesuay pieceuing Ash Weunesuay. The point of
this celebiation was to enjoy foou, music, anu othei activities befoie lent. The slaves
of the Fiench weie unable to paiticipate in these activities, but they weie
encouiageu to come up with theii own tiauitions by theii owneis. In 1797, Biitain
took ovei contiol of Tiiniuau, biinging many immigiants anu theii cultuie. Buiing
the next 2S yeais of Biitish iule, the slave population of the islanu began to gieatly
outnumbei the white population (Beck S6S-S64; Stuempfle 1S).
Buiing Biitain's ieign, the tiauition of Cainival stayeu, but it was still
iestiicteu to slaves until theii emancipation in 18S8. Aftei emancipation, a laige
numbei of the fieeu slaves began to take iesiuence in cities, specifically the capital,
Poit of Spain. A majoiity of the population that moveu into the cities was
unueipiivilegeu anu liveu in shantytowns. These towns weie the main centeis of
social gatheiing foi the people of Tiiniuau to uiink, gamble, anu make music with
each othei (Beck S6S-S64).
By the 186u's, people began iefeiiing to the iesiuents of the shantytowns as
the !"#$%%$ class anu theii celebiation of Cainival as the }amette Cainival. This
celebiation incluueu many activities such as fighting, singing, anu uancing, all of
which iequiieu music. The uesiie to make music togethei leu to the foimation of
stieet banus with people using whatevei they coulu finu (such as bamboo shafts, tin
cans, metal pans, etc.) to make the sounus they wanteu. The music of }amette
Cainival hau long been associateu with violence anu ievolt, which leu to the
goveinment tiying to neutialize the banus in 1877, 1878, anu 1879. In 1884, the
goveinment issueu the Peace Pieseivation 0iuinance, outlawing activities, such as
music, that hau leu to iiots in the past (Beck S64; Stuempfle 2S).
Since making music in gioups was outlaweu uuiing Cainival, the lowei class
of Tiiniuau hau to come up with a new way to make music togethei. This new foim
of music that they uevelopeu was calleu Tamboo Bamboo. Bamboo was cut into
ceitain lengths anu then hit against the giounu in oiuei to cieate uesiieu tones. This
became the most populai way to cieate music foi Cainival unuei the Peace
Pieseivation 0iuinance. Tamboo Bamboo was playeu in gioups, uuiing which
people woulu often peifoim a fight to the music. This leu to the goveinment's
uisappioval, anu in the eaily 19uus, the goveinment began to outlaw Tamboo
Bamboo because of the violence that it was causing (Beck S6S; Stuempfle 2S-26).
Aftei Tamboo Bamboo was banneu, the people of Tiiniuau hau to finu yet anothei
way to make music, which leu to the cieation of Steel Pan. Stieet banus began
beating on metal cans anu othei metal objects to piouuce the sounus they wanteu.
They began using oil uiums, anu soon uiscoveieu that beating a uent into the uium
maue a new pitch. They staiteu to investigate what else they coulu uo with these
uiums to make moie pitches. Eventually the steel pan became the chiomatic
instiument that is playeu all ovei the woilu anu is still piominent in Cainival. The
cieation of this instiument was quite a consiueiable feat foi a lowei class with not
much othei than tin cans anu oil uiums, uemonstiating that the steel pan tiuly is an
instiument of the people of Tiiniuau.
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Pan has uevelopeu into an instiument that is playeu anu all aiounu the
woilu. In Tiiniuau, pan is playeu piimaiily in two places: a classical music
competition calleu "Pan is Beautiful" anu the Cainival pan competition "Panoiama"
(Beck S7S). Panoiama is the laigest gatheiing of the woilu's best pan ensembles,
each of which plays a 1u-minute tune anu the best pan ensemble is selecteu as
champion. This event is so populai that it uiaws spectatois anu peifoimeis fiom all
ovei the woilu. Appioximately 1uu pan ensembles ianging fiom 4S to 12u playeis
peifoim at Panoiama (Panoiama Rules).
Steel pan is such an innovative instiument that even majoi symphonies such
as Tchaikovsky's fouith symphony anu ueishwin's Rhapsouy in Blue can be playeu
on it (Beck S7S). This can happen uue to the many uiffeient types of pans. The leau
pan is the highest- pitcheu pan ianging, fiom C4 to F6. This pan is commonly useu as
the solo voice anu is the steel pan equivalent to the violin, tiumpet, oi sopiano
singei. The leau pan is only one uium anu is the smallest.
The next pans aie calleu the uouble tenois, because they aie two pans
insteau of one. This voice has a slightly lowei iange, fiom FS to BS. Anothei voice is
calleu the uouble seconu pan. It is veiy close to the uouble tenoi except the uouble
seconu is aiiangeu in a whole tone scale. The uouble seconus anu uouble tenoi aie
usually the alto voices of the steel pan ensemble, but can still holu the melouy anu
solo in a chait.
The tenoi voices in the ensemble aie the cello anu the guitai pans. The cello
pan is compiiseu of foui pans anu has a iange fiom u2 to B flat 4. The guitai pans
have a similai iange to the cello pan anu aie most commonly useu foi playing a bass
line oi an accompaniment pattein in the back.
The bass voice is playeu using the bass pan, which is compiiseu six oil uium
baiiels. These pans have a iange A1 to ES. Bass pans noimally play a bass pattein oi
mimic the accompaniment pait. (Tannei 21-26; Beck 27S). Each pan instiument is
unique in the way that it is maue, so each one is a little uiffeient. Theiefoie,
beginning playeis shoulu stay on the instiument when fiist leaining.
Steel pan is an instiument foi playeis of all musical abilities. Theie aie many
levels, ianging fiom beginneis to piofessionals (like the playeis you see in
Panoiama). To teach someone to play steel pan, all one neeus to know is the note
layout of the instiument anu how to holu the mallets. Teachei's can mouel the giip,
which is the same as the conceit snaie uium giip, foi the stuuents. Wiiting the notes
on its pan location anu having the stuuents play one note at time is beneficial. It is a
goou iuea to have the stuuents play a scale on the pan anu tiy to finu which spot
sounus best on each note, because each pan is unique (Tannei 6u-7u). Nost
piofessionals who play steel pan in events such as Panoiama staiteu playing at a
veiy young age. This is often because they weie involveu in a small gang that playeu
pan. The youth woulu eventually go on to join a laigei gioup that woulu compete in
Panoiama.
}ust as the piofessionals leaineu to play pan as chiluien, it is also easy to
teach pan to the chiluien fiom Ameiican cultuie because the melouic stiuctuie
between steel pan anu westein music is similai. The melouic stiuctuie of steel pan
incluues uiatonic anu chiomatic haimony; meaning that scales anu chiomatic iuns
aie playeu on the instiument. This allows steel pan to sounu pleasing to almost any
westein eais because it isn't atonal. This means chiluien will be moie likely to
accept it on a fiist heaiing. It is also helpful when teaching stuuents to play the
instiuments to show them the scales on the instiument. This gives them a basic
pitch centei to latch onto insteau of having to ueal with the lack of a home note. Pan
also follows a similai haimonic stiuctuie to classical music in that it has tonic,
pieuominant, anu uominant choius that all connect to make the song stiuctuie of
the piece. Bowevei, the ihythmic stiuctuie of steel pan pieces can be a little moie
complicateu than the melouic anu haimonic stiuctuie.
Nost pan songs aie wiitten in cut time, which is essentially just a fast 44.
The syncopateu ihythms can be haiuei foi stuuents who uo not even know what
16
th
notes aie. Theie aie a lot of 2
nu
anu 4
th
paitials of sixteenth notes wiitten into
most pan paits especially in the lowei pans because they play the same ihythm ovei
anu ovei. This is useu to cieate a laiu-back gioove feeling that is noimally associateu
with steel pan, but it is also uiffeient fiom what most people aie useu to ieauing on
a page of music.
The gioove of a pan piece lies in the ihythm section, which consists of the
uium set, biake uium, anu othei peicussion accessoiies. The most common gioove
founu in steel banu is the calypso. This is a tiauitional style of gioove that was
cieateu in Tiiniuau along with the soca (soul calypso), which is a combination of
black soul music anu the Caiibbean calypso. The uiffeience between the soca anu
the Calypso is that in the soca theie is moie vaiiation in the ihythm section anu a
moie active uium set pait (Tannei 84-8S).
The most impoitant thing to iemembei about steel pan is that it comes fiom
the music anu the cultuie of Tiiniuau, not }amaica as commonly assumeu. Steel pan
is the music of the people; it was cieateu so that eveiyone coulu make music anu
enjoy it. It is tiuly a unique style of music that uevelopeu fiom beating on common
householu items to fulfill the uesiie to make some kinu of music. Steel pan is music
fiom the people, foi the people, anu by the people.
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1. Foi my fiist lesson I woulu stait by playing paits fiom a steel pan tune anu
asking the chiluien if they know what that was they just listeneu to. Aftei
getting a couple answeis I woulu go on to explain some of the histoiy of steel
pan anu wheie the instiuments came fiom. Then I woulu have them listen to
a quick passage anu ask them to iuentify what uiffeient types of pans they
heai (it woulu be an easy passage so they woulu be able to heai all foui
uiffeient voices of pan). This woulu be the fiist intiouuction, just to get them
useu to heaiing what steel pan sounus like. The infoimation that I gatheieu
in the histoiy section will come in veiy hanuy (but I neeu to make suie to tiy
to not get the kius associating steel pan as a violent instiument).
2. Foi my seconu lesson, I woulu have a few leau pans set up, anu have the
chiluien sit aiounu me in a ciicle. I woulu uistiibute them all pan mallets anu
teach them how to holu the mallets by moueling it. I woulu uo an infoimal
obseivation to see which kius get the concept of how to holu the mallets.
Then, I woulu have the stuuents line up behinu the leau pans anu help them
finu a c scale on the pans. I woulu teach the chiluien about how to play a
simple melouy within a C scale my objective woulu be to get the kius to play
the c scale by the enu of class. If I have enough time, I will have them each
switch to a uiffeient pan to tiy it out. This will help the stuuents unueistanu
the uniqueness of each instiument, anu I woulu explain that each one is
hanumaue anu unique.
S. Foi my thiiu lesson the kius will be able to play a u scale as well as the fiist
opening measuies of Steelbanu Paiauise by Ray Bolman. To accomplish this I
will ieminu the stuuents of the C scale that they playeu last class anu have
them play that while I watch theii technique to make suie that they aie still
playing coiiectly. Then, I will intiouuce the u majoi scale, which staits on u
anu has anu F shaip in it. I will mouel it anu have the kius play it. Then, I will
give them the tenoi music to it because that pait is easiei anu a miuule
schoolei coulu piobably play it. I will intiouuce the ihythms to them anu
have them clap the two haiu ones because we aie staiting at lettei A anu
going to lettei B. Aftei the kius can successfully clap the ihythm I will have
them finu the notes anu then I will uiiect them thiough A-B because it isn't
that haiu. 0ltimately I woulu like to be able to have a uiumset in the back anu
play a calypso pattein while the kius play the song so they know what a
calypso sounus like to steel pan music.




Woiks Citeu
Beck, }ohn. &'()(*+,$-." +0 1$2(344.+'5 New Yoik anu Lonuon: uailanu publishing,
199S. Piint.
I useu this iesouice because it hau gieat histoiical infoimation on steel pan
anu its uevelopment as well as many pictuies of what steel pans look like.
Also }ohn Beck is a veiy well known peicussionist who is moie likely to be
unbiaseu in his wiiting.
Nuellei, Biian. 6%$$* 1"' 7.4%+2)5 Inuiana 0niveisity. Auei Ball uieen Room,
Bloomington,
Inuiana. 1u }anuiaiy, 2u11. Infoimal lectuie.
Biian is the uiiectoi of the steel pan ensemble at Inuiana 0niveisity
Be gave a quick lectuie on the histoiy of steel pan anu wheie it came fiom.
This lectuie pioviueu gieat insight into the histoiy anu making of steel pan.
Be also playeu Tamboo Bamboo with an ensemble foi us to give us a feel
fiom wheie it came fiom anu what it has become.

Nuellei, Biian. 6%$$* 1"' 8.%$2"%32$. Inuiana 0niveisity. Peicussion AI's office.
Bloomington,
Inuiana. 22 Naich, 2u11. Infoimal lectuie
I talkeu with Biian about finuing music that was wiitten foi steel pan.
Be gave showeu me songs such as Panoiama tunes anu solos that weie
wiitten specifically foi the instiument anu also showeu me a bunch of
aiiangements of jazz tunes showing me how westein music can be
incoipoiateu into the music of Tiiniuau.
N.P. 1"'+2"#" 93*$4 "'- 9$:3*"%.+'4. 2u11. Pan Tiinbago. N.B. Web. Febiuaiy 1u,
2u11.
<http:www.pantiinbago.co.ttinuex.php.option=com_content&view=aiticle&iu=4
S8& Itemiu=249>.
This site pioviueu me with the iules anu moie infoimation about
Panoiama. This came in hanuy when talking about the event wheie people
playeu pan. It also pioviueu a look into how pan has evolveu ovei the yeais
anu the size of the pan ensembles touay.

N.P. ;2.'.-"- "'- ;+<":+. 0.S. Bepaitment of State. Nay 29, 2u1u. Web. Febiuaiy,
1u, 2u11. http:www.state.govipaeibgnSS6S8.htm.
I useu this souice to get geogiaphical location anu backgiounu on
Tiiniuau. It came in hanuy to be able to look at a map anu see wheie the
countiy
Is locateu. I also got some backgiounu infoimation fiom this souice.

Suempfle, Stephen. ;=$ 6%$$*<"'- >+?$#$'% %=$ @+2:.': +0 " A"%.+'"* B2% .' ;2.'.-"-
"'- ;+<":+5 Philauelphia: 0niveisity of Pennsylvania Piess, 199S. Piint.
The ieason why I useu this souice is because it hau veiy in uepth
infoimation on how steel pan uevelopeu as an instiument, the people, anu
histoiy behinu it. This is a gieat iesouice foi anyone wanting to know moie
about steel pan, wheie it came fiom, anu the tiauitions behinu it

Tannei, Chiis. ;=$ 6%$$* C"'- D"#$ 1*"'. New Yoik: Rowman & Littlefielu Euucation,
2uu7. Piint.
I useu this souice was because it pioviueu gieat infoimation on how
to teach beginneis to play pan. Also, it pioviueu a gieat
uesciiption of the uiffeient types of pans anu theii ianges. It is a gieat
iesouice foi someone looking to stait a pan ensemble.
Whensteeltalks2. 1"'+2"#" EFGF ;2.'.-"- "'- ;+<":+5 Embeui. Febiuaiy 2u, 2u1u.
Web. Febiuaiy S, 2u11. <http:embeui.complaylistpanoiama-2u1u-tiiniuau-
anu-tobago>.
This is a viueo of all the panoiama ensembles fiom 2u1u in Tiiniuau. It
pioviueu me with a gieat listening iesouice, so that I know how pan is
aiiangeu anu wiitten foi touay. It is gieat because it is all oiiginal music
wiitten specifically foi steel pan.