🛢️ Birth of the Steel Pan (1930s–1940s)

By the 1930s, urban communities began experimenting with metal containers like oil drums. This shift happened partly because:

• Bamboo instruments were restricted
• Oil drums were widely available due to industrialization

Innovators started hammering the tops of drums to create different pitches. Over time:

• Distinct notes were tuned into the surface
• Different pans were developed (tenor, bass, etc.)

One key figure was Winston ‘Spree’ Simon, who is often credited with creating the first tuned steel pan capable of playing melodies.