How to Make a Simple Steel Drum
Travel anywhere in the Caribbean or in Caribbean-influenced areas of the United States and Canada and you'll hear the sound of steel drums. Played solo or in groups, steel drums originated from instruments made out of abandoned oil drums and other storage containers left behind by trading boats and sailors traveling among the islands. This article will teach you how to make a simple two-note steel drum.
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Things You'll Need
- Clean oil drum (35 to 55 gallons)
- Chalk
- Ball peen hammer
- Sledgehammer
- Dowels
- Rubber bands
- Saw (optional)
- Paint (optional)
Instructions
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1
Empty and clean your oil drum. It should be free of any oil residues and dirt.
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2
Draw a chalk line across the bottom of the drum, slightly off center. These two sides will become the high and low sides of the drum.
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3
Use the sledgehammer to "sink the pan" or create the bowl-shaped indentation in the end of the barrel. Beat the end of the barrel firmly with the hammer to stretch the metal out smoothly. The smaller side of the drum should be left slightly higher than the larger, low side.
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4
Use the ball peen hammer to smooth out any uneven areas left by sinking the pan with the sledgehammer.
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5
Wrap rubber bands around one end of the dowels to create drumsticks. Test the pitches of the drum using the sticks. Continue to deepen areas or smooth out areas until you hear the sound you like. To further modify the drum's pitch and sound, you can cut the "skirt" or bottom of the barrel to different lengths.
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6
Paint the drum's barrel and allow to dry. Your drum is ready to play.
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