Tuned steel pans were invented on the beautiful carribean island of Trinidad in 1938 by Winston "Spree" Simon. The first pans were made from biscuit or paint tins and then during the 1940s people began to use oil drums. Today steel bands exist all over the world and the sound is familiar to everyone. Many schools in the UK have steel bands which run alongside their other school ensembles such as choirs and orchestras.
Largest steel bands have a very wide range of drums, from tiny soprano pans to deep bass. This enables them to play together like an orchestra with each section having its own special parts to play.
Find out more about the history of steel drums.
Read about Winston "Spree" Simon.
