The last time the PNM held office under Mr Manning there was a lot of hype about the G-pan, what's become of the G-pan, are they in production? if I remember correctly it cost the tax payers a few dollars.
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Copeland, what you posted, could now end this topic at least for me.I can't say if others need further explanations.
Gerard, Even though that may be so, once a musical invention emulates another acoustic one, the electronic one even though named by the creators may leave out the acoustic one which was emulated, people will still refer to the electronic one with the original name of the acoustic one. There are many examples of this. The piano is the first one comes to mind. First there was the electric piano. Then the synthesizers made their appearance. However people also refer to them as electronic keyboards. Everyone in the music world knows what keyboards refer too mostly despite the fact that computers are now used. They refer to the keyboard of the piano. And nothing is wrong with that. Those electronic keyboards emulates the piano keyboards. They are played exactly like playing a piano. Same thing with the electric guitar now the electronic digital guitar. Their creators name them by different names but essentially they emulate the acoustic guitar. They contain the strings, frets etc and are played exactly like the acoustic guitar. Same thing with the bass guitar and upright bass. They have their electronic and digital forms but are played exactly like the acoustic one. So in this sense they retain their original names piano. guitar, bass, etc. The drumset is also a musical instrument both in its acoustic original form and now electronic and digital. The human ear does not recognize the difference once they emulate their acoustic sounds. That is the original intention of the creators. To emulate the original sound of acoustic instruments and played like the acoustic ones. But because of midi, thousands of sounds can be obtained from digital sound boxes, computer software. For instance I play the MalletKat. This is an emulation of the xylophone and played like the xylophone. The creator wanted to emulate the xylophone in the first instance, so it was designed like that. but because it is electronic and digital, any midi sound can be played on them. The pan sounds you hear on the link above were played by me with the MalletKat. The intention of the player when playing a particular sound is to emulate that sound style as well. Sometimes I play a flute with it, but the touch of the notes has to be different from playing another instrument. So it is impossible to get people from not referring back to the acoustic instrument's name. impossible because the very creator created the instrument in the vain of the acoustic instrument. He wanted the Marimba, xylophone to have an electyronic counterpart. Even though he didn't name them marimba or xylophone, people will still end up referring to their acoustic name. So when I play somewhere people will come up and say "that's an electronic xylophone" and I will say yes but its more than a xylophone. It can produce many thousands of sounds once the modules are attached. And people will say "Wow" that's great. It is. it is the electronic era. So the electronic era can produces the original acoustic sounds of the instrument its maker wanted to emulate first of all. But because of midi interface they can produce much more sounds. same thing goes for the violin and its family members and the wind instruments family. They are shaped just like their original acoustic family by the electronic creators and so if people refer to them by their original names by merely adding the word "electronic" they would be 100% correct as well. But the commercial names are given to them for commercial reasons. Therefore the E-Pan. PHI Pan, and PanKat are correct in their original intention-i.e. to emulate the acoustic pan in the first instance. They are supporters of musicians playing the acoustic instruments which have their limitations as everyone knows.
Glenroy, your post says it all. You keep insisting or we keep insisting that what makes the pan special is the fact that it is a pan/steeldrum, not it's sound. People still check steeldrums for electronic hookups,since they can't believe that such a device can organically produce such a sound. While I have some respect for those instruments, I do nor refer to synthesizers shaped like pans with note arrangements in 5th's and whole tone augmented as pans,but as instruments.When people ask me, I say E instruments or PHI instruments and not pans.
Thanks! This is exactly why we named it PHI and not PHI-Pan, as many still keep calling it, or X-Pan or whatever! Just PHI!
THANK YOU,
PAN is pan was invented before synthesizers, I played pan, hand made an alto pan, made a synthesizer, soldered each component, and is still an avid enjoyer of my instrument /steelband,,, , I totally agree with you, the hard work was done by our elders, it is an insult to our elders, they did great, what did these new people do for this great instrument in this century, what did they do /create?
What is G Pan? somebody please explain,,,,thanks
A merry Christmas everyone. long time no see no hear.
Well once the G-pan Patents are owned by the G'ovt of T&T that's the end of the G-pan. That's the worst thing that can happen to any invention at all. Govt means every body's business but no body's business. Govt mean everyone cares but no one takes responsibility. Govt the people own it but no one owns it. Get the drift? Pan Trinbago has designed their own as well. Factually speaking it was an insult to the inventors and developers of the conventional pans which is in public domain from day one. The Gpan is not much an improvement of the conventional pan. What the G-pan tried to do was to prove that the making of a steelpan instrument contains scientific laws of metal and sound.- something which was known by inventors from day one. For instance Ellie Manette's pans still sell like hot bread as well as the other inventors and tuners. Plus the G-pan was too heavy and made it more cumbersome than the conventional pans. I had spoken to many pan players and they mostly say that it is two big and heavy to carry around. Added to the untimely event of this invention in the midst of electronics, the pan sounds have all been digitized and ready to meet the 21st century decibel electronics. So bye bye G-pan- too late is the cry The E-pan, PHI, PanKat is here along with a whole host of pan sounds of the different inventors. You can get from bass to tenor pans and including the sound of the engine room.Its just taking a little long for pan players to realize what they are missing. The electronic sound of pan is here for good.
I keep insisting that what makes the pan special is the fact that it is a pan , not its sound.
Which is why in the early days people would check the pan for electronic hookups, since they couldn't believe such a device could organically produce such a sound.
It is obvious that the sound can be created electronically, but that takes away the mystique of the pan, which is a large part of its appeal.
Of course there is a role for the electronic devices, but to support, not to replace the original, hand tuned instrument.
I have much respect and admiration for the ingenuity the inventors of electronic pans/synthesizers , and they have their places, but I am sometimes reminded of the dog and his bone when we discuss electronic devices regarding the pan.
Seeing his reflection in a river with what appeared to be a fatter, juicer bone, he dropped his bone to grab at the reflection, and ended up with nothing.
One thing you can say about the g-pan.
It is still a hand tuned pan.
"Of course there is a role for the electronic devices, but to support, not to replace the original, hand tuned instrument." should re "Of course there is a role for the electronic devices, but to complement, not to replace the original, hand tuned instrument."
Why can I use one of my electronic keyboards/module to create this sound, I do it now.
Thanks
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