Music Lessons in Denver – Learn to Play Steel Drums!

We are excited to offer steel band rehearsal and steel drum lessons this summer at our Littleton studio location! This is a fun and exciting instrument for people of all ages and skill levels. With strong visual & muscle memory aspects of playing the steel drum, many students thoroughly enjoy the learning process that does not require written music. 

The steel drum represents a family of acoustic instruments that was designed after the traditional orchestra. Steel drums are fully chromatic and come in a variety of designs. Each voice in the steel orchestra has its own specific character and intricate layout of notes. The height of the steel drum experience is playing in a full steel band, surrounded by a completely unique and full sound. 

Steel drum programs in Colorado are still relatively few and far between, because of the scarcity of the instrument and scarity of knowledge about it. This instrument is ideal for music lessons because it offers a fun & satisfying way to learn popular music while working with others toward a common goal. 

Where is the new studio located you ask? We can be found at 5366 S Bannock Street, Suite 201 in Littleton, Colorado. We have prepared our rehearsal space to allow for full steel band rehearsals as well as one-on-one lessons for beginners. Beginners are most welcome to come participate in this art form, as the learning curve is very gradual and can be built up over time in a systematic way. 

As mentioned above, learning to play steel pan does not require students to understand how to read sheet music. The traditions of the instrument are rooted in Trinidadian culture, and based around their annual ‘Carnival’ celebration. This corresponds with Mardi Gras here in the United States. During Trinidadian Carnival, large steel bands are formed each year by everyday citizens who learn the music through the ‘rote’ method, which consists of mechanical repetition of musical phrases with the effort to commit them to memory. Typically one member of a given section in the band will pass along the content to others by demonstrating, calling out note names, and physically showing each member how the phrase is played on their instrument. It’s highly effective and aided by the large number of band members surrounding each other, making for total immersion in the music. I sometimes liken it to a group dance at a wedding. It’s easier to learn the “Electric Slide” when you’re in the middle of a crowd of people who know how it’s done, rather than seeing it once, or reading an instruction book and trying to recreate it alone on the floor. 

The artificial barrier that people perceive here in the United States between musicians and non-musicians is just that, completely fabricated. Playing an instrument that frees the user from sheet music allows people to tap into all of their senses and use an all-encompassing approach. While humans may be visual creatures, reliance on sheet music to play an instrument vastly affects the experience and can be limiting to some students. Everyone has their own preference when it comes to learning styles, but the rote method is a refreshing and natural way to learn this new craft. If you’ve never thought to try to play music because you’re not a ‘musician,’ it’s time to take on something completely unique and user friendly like the steel pan!

Music lessons and classes with Pan Association not only provide access to this rare instrument but also allow for practical music education that relates to current pop and a variety of other styles. Perhaps one of the greatest aspects of the steel pan is its ability to communicate most every style of music in the world. It has an amazing way of expessing styles with its own voice that is complex and incredible. It’s that very concept that has earned this instrument the nickname ‘Sweet Pan.’

If you’re interested in beginning pan studies with us, reach out to contact@panassociation.com for further details.

See you at rehearsal, Paul Munzenrider