ENGR 3000 ENGR 3000 Technology of the Technology of the

Steel PanSteel PanLecture 1Lecture 1

Lecturer: Sean Sutherland

Course Evaluation

Research paper 20%Practicals 20%Examination 60%

Topics for Today’s Lecture

History of the Steel PanDescription of the Steel PanTypes of Steel PansFamilies of Musical Instruments

BREAKBasic Introduction to Music

History of the steel pan

1883 – Use of drums in street parades outlawed1900-1934 – Use of tuned bamboo sticks1930s – Use of biscuit tins1934 – Taboos Bamboo bands forbidden1935-1939 – Gradual change to steel instruments in street bands

History of the steel pan (cont’d)

1938-1939 – “Birth” years. – Winston "Spree" Simon was the first to used

tuned tins– Alexander’s Ragtime Band becoming the first

ensemble with exclusively steel instruments1942 – Carnivals forbidden1939-1945 – First melody pans, developments in pan crafting

History of the steel pan (cont’d)

1945 – Spontaneous carnival at the end of the war saw several bands consisting of only steel pans1946 – Invaders, led by Elliot Manette was the first “steel band” to participate in organized “mas”1947-1949 – last years of small melodic steel pan1948 – Oil drum replaced biscuit tin

Parts of the pan

Parts of the pan cont’d

Stands

Racks

Sticks

Types of Pans

High TenorLow TenorDouble TenorDouble SecondDouble GuitarTriple Cello/Guitar

Quadrophonic PanFour Pan/CelloTenor BassSix BassNine Bass

Ranges of the pans

Measurements for the Tenor Pan

Note Sizes

Families (traditional) of Musical Instruments

StringsBrassWoodwindsPercussion

Strings

ViolinViolaCelloDouble bassHarp

Brass

TrumpetTromboneFrench HornTuba

Woodwinds

ClarinetOboeBassoonSaxophoneFlutePiccoloEnglish horn

Percussion

DrumsTambourineGlockenspiel MarimbaXylophonePiano Organ

Steel panCymbalsChimesTrianglesBellsGuitar

Categorization of musical instruments based on sound

production mechanisms

StringsBowed Strings

Violin ViolaVioloncelloDouble bassBowed psaltery

Plucked StringsGuitarLuteHarpSitarBalalaikaKotoMandolinKanoonZitherLyre

Balalaika

Koto

Mandolin Kanoon

Strings continued

Hit StringsHammered dulcimerBerimbau

OtherHurdy-gurdy (crank turns a wheel which rubs against the strings)Aeolian harp (strings set in motion by the wind)

Hurdy-gurdy

Hammered dulcimerBerimbau

Brass

TrumpetTromboneFrench HornTubaBugleDigeriduConch shell

Digeridu

Woodwind

Single ReedClarinetSaxophoneBasset horn

Double ReedOboeBassoonEnglish hornBagpipesKrummhornShawm

Krummhorn Shawm

Woodwind continued

Edge blownFlute RecorderTin whistleSlide whistleWhisky jug

Percussion (membranophones)

Definite PitchKettledrums (roto-toms Some other drums have quasi-definite pitch)

Indefinite PitchOther drums of all kinds Tambourine

Percussion (Ideophones)Definite Pitch

Xylophone MarimbaVibraphoneHandbellsChimesGamelanSteel pan

Indefinite PitchCymbalsGongRattles of all kindsBonesSpoonsLog drumWoodblockTriangleMaracasRhythm sticksEtc.

Gamelan

Basic Music Theory

Staff Treble clef

Bass clef Bar or measure

Grand Staff

Staff mapped to Keyboard

Treble Clef

LINES: e g b d f

SPACES: f a c e

Bass Clef

LINES: g b d f a

SPACES: a c e g

Scales

Scale is a succession of notes arranged in ascending or descending orderMost common scales are:– 5 note scale (pentatonic)– 12 note scale (chromatic)– 7 note scale (major/minor diatonic, modes)

Scales continued

Western music divides the octave into 12 steps called semitones, which constitute the chromatic scaleThen it arranges 7 of these notes in a particular sequence to form major and minor scales, which carry the name of the lowest note in the sequence

Scales continued

Other cultures use different scalesPentatonic scales are basic to Chinese, Celtic and Native American MusicIndian music is based on a 7-note scale with microtonal intervals (i.e., intervals that are fractions of those found in Western music)

Octave

An octave refers to the doubling in frequency of a note, which produces a similar note at a higher frequencyBecause of its purity, and the fact that the harmonics of many notes contain the octave, it occupies a special place in nearly all musical cultures

Whole and Half Steps

W W H W W W H W W H W W W H W W

C Major Scale

Steps for writing major scales

1. Write out the eight notes in ascending order beginning and ending with the given note

2. Check the number of half/whole steps between each pair of notes from the beginning

3. If interval is correct, move to the next pair, if not sharpen or flatten the second note of the pair as necessary

The number of whole tones between notes of minor scales

For harmonic minor scales ascending and descending, the intervals are: 1 – 0.5 – 1 – 1 – 0.5 – 1.5 – 0.5 For melodic minor scale ascending, the intervals are: 1 – 0.5 – 1 – 1 – 1 – 1 – 0.5For melodic minor scales descending, the intervals are: 1 – 1 – 0.5 – 1 – 1 – 0.5 – 1

Intervals

Consonant intervals in descending order of consonance

Interval Notes Ideal Freq Ratio # of ½ steps

Octave C-C 2:1 12Fifth C-G 3:2 7Fourth C-F 4:3 5Major 6th C-A 5:3 9Major 3rd E-G 5:4 4Minor 6th C-A 8:5 8Minor 3th E-C 6:5 3

C Major Scale

C Major Triad

Triads based on the C major Scale

Circle of Fifths