John W in the comments asks why people rave about Hang drums and not about Steel drums. Well, first off, what I was liking was the sound not the technique - I am pretty certain that if I had one I could play exactly like the videos in about 10 minutes. (And better than a lot of the playing in the videos on youtube, some of which is just embarassing). Second, well, I'll be honest, I hate steel drums. I always have. I loathe the sound they make and I am not a huge fan of the kinds of music people play on them. There is little worse than hearing a local school steel band playing a medley of Beatles' tunes.
<p>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HTT1F3wMacA</p><p> </p><p>not even this, Lindsay? <br /></p>
John Weeks
<p>I wish I could find the radio "article?" about Hang drums I heard on NPR while out of town.</p><p>The makers are pre screening their customers and approving only those they deem "Hang-worthy"</p><p>They too had a problem with every jamoke and their brother soloing on youtube.</p><p>The whole thing spirals into the realm of "Oy Vay" when the makers start not wanting their products played.<br /></p>
John Weeks
<p>Not even that. The band are fantastic and the pan player clearly has wonderful technique and ideas. I just don't like the sound - it sounds exactly like what it is : someone hitting an oil drum </p><p>The Hang drum sounds fantastic (but there again so does the propane cylinder sound-alike shown on youtube). I agree entirely about the snooty makers and the hype etc. etc., but the instrument is the point and I think it's rather fine.There is nothing inherently wrong with an instrument that is easy to make nice sounding music on. In fact that is rather a win don't you think? </p>
Lindsay
<p>An interesting and nice sound, but any instrument where the only options seem to be pay a lot for a second-hand one at auction or write a letter to the manufacturer asking whether you can possibly, maybe, perhaps buy one sometime (so long as they're not going to stop producing them for the time-being for reasons best known to themselves) strikes me as being just a little bit too far up its own bottom to be worth the hassle.</p><p>I agree with you about steel drums though. Never really got away with those things. Mind you, the sound of an operatic singer warbling or booming their way through a contemporary ballad or (even worse) a folk song or other traditional melody is even more horrifying than a steel-drum Beatles tribute if you ask me... </p>
Adrian
steel drums cannot 'hang' a note, therefore, they are ultimately limited to an enthusiastic rhythm or melody...the melodic palette of the hang drum is meaningless next to it's ethereal quality, resonance. I like the steel drum, but much like curry, you can over do it and it doesn't go on everything. It just doesn't.
Lynn