Resources for First Time Steelband Directors

Teaching a Steelband for the first time can be a bit daunting but it is especially daunting for those who are not familiar with the instrument, it’s music, culture, technique, maintenance, etc. There are resources out there but they can be hard to find or filter so I hope this page is helpful for those who need it. This is meant to be a jump-off point rather than a fix-all solution. Like everything else in music, Pan can be a lifelong pursuit with never-ending challenges, experiences, information, etc.

Check out the resources and links on this page to find the info and techniques that work for you and your situation. If you have questions or issues or just need to know where to look next, please do not hesitate to reach out. Everyone I have met in the Pan community is very kind and wants to help propel this artform forward. I hope to do the same with this page. Best of luck in your preparations and welcome to the pan community!

Shameless Plug Time! : I have put together “The New Steelband Director’s Survival Kit” and I would love for you to check it out. I wish this collection of materials was around when I was getting started with my steelband! It would have saved me countless hours of creating resources, writing out exercises, researching, and ultimately would have helped me get better results much faster. This survival kit includes resources covering the Steelpan Family, Tamboo Bamboo, Scales, History, Engine Room Parts, Tunes by Rote, Rhythm Reading, Technique/Grip, Rehearsing a Steelband, and some starter tunes. I hope that it will serve many new and current directors by allowing them to leap past the initial and recurring hurdles they face with confidence. Thank you for your hard work and dedication to pan! Let’s keep this beautiful artform moving forward! -Jordan

Helpful Links

NSSBE - National Society of Steel Band Educators : Great resources(member and free resources available) for beginning directors, home of The Steel Times Magazine, and the host of an annual NSSBE Conference which is an excellent way to meet people in the pan community, ask questions, learn, and leave feeling empowered and inspired.

Teaching Strategies for Beginner Steelband: First Steps - CJ Menge : A well-written article(PDF) that includes good habits, first week ideas, teaching strategies, engine room info, and a few reference scores.

Steelband for Everyone! - Sara DiPardo & Mike Wendeln (FMEA Convention 2014) : Some good info(PDF) to start on lots of topics including pan layouts, playing technique, Engine Room Instruments/Patterns, Where to get music, band setup, suggested listening, and more.

The Steel Band Game Plan: Strategies for Starting, Building, and Maintaining Your Pan Program - Chris Tanner : Great resource(book for purchase) that includes topics like instrumentation, personnel, basic pan technique, repertoire, rehearsal strategies, and more. Great for anyone starting a new program or already running one.

So, You Want to Start a Steelband: Common sense tips for the uninitiated director - David Knapp : Quick snippets(Powerpoint slides) on lots of topics including a brief steelpan history, musical styles, pan in education, instrumentation, builders, tuning, literature, fundraising, books, movies, classroom management, and more.

Steelband Directors Facebook Group : A great and welcoming group of people who are ready to answer questions to help you and your program get rolling or keep moving forward!