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The steel-pan, a unique instrument, is the only new
musical instrument developed in the 20th century.

The steel-drum / steel-band / steel-pan was invented in Trinidad & Tobago.
• It owes its genesis to the distinctive rhythms of the “Tamboo Bamboo” and the bottle-and-spoon bands of the 1800's formed of freed African slaves, starved of their traditional percussion instruments.
• In the late 1940's, someone discovered that the hammered, indented and demarcated sections of 55-gallon oil drums produced varying musical tones. Winston "Spree" Simon is credited with this, his first “melody pan” had eight musical notes.
• Today, skillful craftsmen produce a sophisticated, more tuned pan, with many more notes using either manually sunken or factory manufactured oil drums tops. The drums skirt (sides) is cut, the top is heated, tempered, sunken and demarcated then tuned to produce musical notes according to standard diatonic and chromatic scales. Soprano instruments have 29 notes and bass instrument have 8 notes. All are played using rubber tipped sticks.
• Many different versions of the first original pans are now produced using a combination of modern technology, skill and experimentation.
The steel-drum invented, in Trinidad & Tobago is the only new musical instrument of the 20th century
The steel-drum invented, in Trinidad & Tobago is the only new musical instrument of the 20th century
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The steel-drum invented, in Trinidad & Tobago is the only new musical instrument of the 20th century
• The Steel Drum carries the full chromatic range of notes and can produce any type of music.
• Complete orchestras with over 150 musicians and 500 steel-pans showcase the versatility of the steel drum by presenting crafty renditions of classical and other pieces at several annual musical competitions.
• These competitions very intense, any band that is adjudged as a winner must display extreme high versatility and skill in its arrangement an performance.
• Panorama finals at Carnival is the premiere of steelband competitions, but there are •
Annual pan jazz festivities is bring together soloists, ensembles and orchestras from all over the world all emphasizing the versatility of the steel drum

Steel-pan orchestras now regularly tour and perform worldwide for thousands of fans.
Several have recorded musical CD's on sale at the better music stores.