As I watched the video clip of Garvin Blake Parallel Overtones I ask myself what if the keyboard used the pan tone and a Epan or some other pan app played bass this will certainly put PAN in another place.This is one of the roads we have to travel with the pan. The pan has it's own family, why we are not putting that sound out there? let's get from behind the panorama tune and classical music, we have the instruments and players lets make the music.
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This is an interesting discussion , and it ties into my discussion about a genre for steelbands.
On the subject of range of notes , Bede Lopez , no one has mentioned this although I'm sure we're all aware of it.
You realize that because of the range of the pans especially in the earlier days , arrangers had to arrange within the limits of the pans range?
This forced arrangers to be creative in working with the limitations , and gave steelbands a unique, vibrant, sound that was pleasing to the ear , especially as carnival road music.
Today's pans , because of the expanded ranges have also expanded the options for the arrangers , but on the other hand has neutralized that special area of creativity of the earlier years.
( Of course I'm no expert , and my opinions are just based on observations made as someone who has loved pan music from the day I became aware of it , in the early 1950s)
We boast that the pan can play anything but we produce nothing. I am playing Devils advocate here, I would like to see small groups of pan people doing stuff, just make and play songs that will have a global appeal.
With todays technology a steelband could 3-4-5 people. We make music for the pan but use conventional instruments as accompaniment, we are selling the sound of the pan lets use it.