Steel Pan
OriginTrinidad
Year1930
FamilyPercussion
About the Steel Pan
The only new acoustic instrument invented in the 20th century. Made from 55-gallon oil drums. The surface is hammered into different pitch zones. Over 30,000 steel pans are made annually in Trinidad. Can play full chromatic scales. The tenor pan has up to 32 notes on one drum.
More Percussion Instruments
Drums
The oldest musical instrument after the human voice. Found in every culture on Earth. The ...
Marimba
Originated in Africa, developed in Central America. Wooden bars with resonator tubes under...
Xylophone
Similar to marimba but with higher pitch and shorter resonators. The name means wood sound...
Vibraphone
Invented by Herman Winterhoff. Metal bars with motor-driven resonators create vibrato. The...