Clifford Alexis
School of Music, Northern Illinois Univ., DeKalb, IL 60115
During its 50 years of existence, the steelpan has evolved from a folk instrument in its native Trinidad to a versatile instrument capable of performing a wide range of musical styles from symphonic to calypso. Tonal design of the various instruments is approaching standardization but still there is considerable experimentation in the physical design of individual instruments. The construction of the various instruments in the steel drum family is discussed, and the tuning of notes on a cello pan is demonstrated.