Steel pans originate from Trinidad and Tobago. The pans were originally made from large oil drums and are an example of a musical instrument that has been made using locally available materials. One end of the pan is beaten into a series of ovals that, when struck, create pitched sounds. The larger the oval, the lower the sound. It can be difficult when you are learning to play the steel pan, because the notes are arranged in the “cycle of fifths” and not in pitch order (like a piano or xylophone)!
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