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Musical Metal

Science catches up with the shimmering sound of steel drums

Scientists are using metallurgy research to divine the secrets of the Caribbean steel drum’s celestial sound.

 

References:

Murr, L.E. . . . J.L. White. In Press. The materials science and metallurgy of the Caribbean steel drum. Journal of Materials Science.

 

Further Readings:

Broad, W. J. 1996. Picking up good, and subtle, vibrations from steel. New York Times 145(July 9):C1.

Hansen, U.J., T.D. Rossing, E. Mannette, and K. George. 1995. The Caribbean steel pan: Tuning and mode studies. MRS Bulletin (March):44.

Hill, D.R. 1995. Trinidad pan. Natural History 104(February):34.

Rossing, T.D., D.S. Hampton, and U.J. Hansen. 1996. Music from oil drums: The acoustics of the steel pan. Physics Today(March):24.

Sancar, C. 1997. Soaring scales of the silver basin. Americas 49(July/August):6.

A Handbook for Steel Pan Making and Tuning is available at http://www.smus.se/musikmuseet/pan/tuning

 

Sources:

Kaethe George
West Virginia University
University Tuning Project
College of Creative Arts
P.O. Box 6111
Morgantown, WV 26506-6011

Elliot Mannette
West Virginia University
University Tuning Project
College of Creative Arts
P.O. Box 6111
Morgantown, WV 26506-6011

Lawrence E. Murr
University of Texas, El Paso
Department of Metallurgical and Materials Engineering
Materials Research Institute
El Paso, TX 79968

J. Larry White
University of Texas, El Paso
Department of Music
El Paso, TX 79968

From Science News, Vol. 154, No. 15, October 10, 1998, p. 236.
Copyright Ó 1998 by Science Service.

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