Panyard in Education

The perfect instrument for students and teachers

No matter what level of music education you teach, steel drums have a magical way of increasing student engagement. Both the spirit of the Steel Drum and the multi-faceted nature of being both percussive and melodic makes it a fantastic instrument to teach. It also provides opportunities for cross-curricular studies, exploring the instrument’s origins in the island nation of Trinidad & Tobago. ​

Elementary school
Group Metamora Enhanced
High School
JJ Classroom 8 High Res
College
Music Education: Form a Steel Drum Band

Try something new to freshen up your music program!  A steel drum ensemble is the perfect way to bring energy, recognition, and a beautiful island sound to your school.​

 

Increase attendance to your performances!  Parents and members of the community love steel drum concerts.  Also makes a great fundraiser – many schools support their entire music program through paid steelband performances.

A small budget isn’t a problem. Panyard will work with you to create a steel drum program that meets your budget and specific needs. 

Small budget? no problem!

Panyard will work with you to create a Steel Drum program that meets your budget/specific needs and gets the most students playing this fun and unique instrument. From entry level to university, Panyard’s wide selection of steel pan instruments and accessories provide a “one-stop-shop” to setup your band.

 

From Entry Level to University.

Panyard’s wide selection of steel pan instruments and accessories provide a “one-stop-shop” to setup your band.

Full Size Pans & Accessories High School, Universities & Music Academies

For more than 30 years, Panyard has been helping music educator’s start and grow successful steel band programs from elementary schools to universities and private music academies.  Plain and simple – we make it affordable and easy!

Depending on your programs budget and specific needs we can customize a package that will have your steel band up and running quickly or enhance your current program.

Setting Up Your Steel Band

The first step is to decide how many students/pan players you need to accommodate.  Then we will help design a well-balanced ensemble of Leads, Double Seconds, Cello and Bass Pans. We can also help you decide how many players and which instruments you will need in your engine room (percussion section of your steel band). 

 

Other instruments, many of which you may already have at your school, can also be incorporated into a steel band such as: marimbas, vibes, keyboards, electric bass, piano etc…  For programs teaching entry level music or special needs, a few Jumbie Jam entry level pans may come in handy!

The pan family of instruments/voices

Lead Pan:  Soprano Voice – Melody and Harmony

29 Notes – Both are the standard circle of 5ths layout

Two configurations

• “C” Lead (starting note C4)

• “D” Lead (starting note D4)

Double Second Pans:  Alto Voice – Melody, Harmony, Chord Strums

30 Notes – Starting note F3  Standard synchronized* layout.

*Panyards “synchronized” note configuration offers the best ease of playability + optimum sound quality possible.  Both the right and left Pans are laid out in the same pattern.  This allows the same “sticking” combinations to be used regardless of what key you are playing in, making learning the Pan a breeze! Since the notes are laid out th e same on each drum, the tuning is consistent from Pan to Pan offering a far superior sound quality compared to non-synchronized configurations.

Triple Cello Pans: Tenor voice – Chord Strums, Harmony, Low Range Melody

21 notes  – Starting note C3  – Standard synchronized layout shown in the above diagram

Panyards “synchronized” note configuration offers the best ease of playability + optimum sound quality possible.  All three Pans are laid out in the same pattern.  This allows the same “sticking” combinations to be used regardless of what key you are playing in, making learning the Pan a breeze! Since the notes are laid out the same on each drum, the tuning is consistent from Pan to Pan offering a far superior sound quality compared to non-synchronized configurations.

Six Bass Pans: Bass voice – Bass, Rhythm Section

18 notes – Starting note C2.

Build-a-Band

Putting together a well-balanced steel band is simple!  Depending on your budget and specific needs a steel band can consist of as little as one Lead Pan and one set of Double Second Pans mixed with other instruments, many of which you may already have at your school, such as Marimbas, Vibes, Keyboards, Electric Bass, Piano etc. or larger ensembles of 20+ Pans.

A well-balanced Starter Package consists of one Lead Pan, one set of Double Second Pans, one set of Triple Cello Pans and one set of Six Bass Pans, covering Soprano, Alto, Tenor and Bass voices, along with Drum Kit, Congas, T’ings, and other hand percussion in your Engine Room.

For larger budgets and more student involvement Panyard’s Deluxe Package is a great start – two Lead Pans, two sets of Double Second Pans, one set of Triple Cello Pans and one set of Six Bass Pans, covering Soprano, Alto, Tenor and Bass voices, along with Drum Kit, Congas, T’ings, and other hand percussion in your Engine Room.

BONUS

Each Pan purchase includes:

• One free pair of mallets.

• Four free steel band Arrangements

The following chart shows our recommended instrumentation to create a well-balanced Steelband as well as the perfect combination of Pans to expand your existing Band:

Stands, Cases, Mallets and Accessories

We recommend our Panyard Series powder coated stands for your Leads, Double Seconds and Cello.  Extremely sturdy and portable – they include wheels!  These stands nest for easy and compact storage. For Bass, we recommend rubber feet, which we install prior to shipping.

Cases for Lead and Double Second Pans are highly recommended to protect your pans and keep them in tune.  If your budget allows, our Cello and Bass Cases are great and also protect the tuning of your pans, but can be purchased down the road if your budget does not allow at time of purchase when starting or expanding your steelband.

Panyard Mallets are engineered and handcrafted to the perfect length and weight, with your choice of tip hardness, ensuring a bright and resonant tone from your Pan.  Durable wood or easy-to-clean aluminum shafts, coupled with Panyard’s pro-grade rubber tips, create the perfect combination of viscosity, thickness & texture for achieving consistent & optimum sound quality.  These mallets perform and last! 

Made in the USA, these mallets are designed and manufactured by Panyard – Passionate Crafters of high-quality Pans.  Panyard’s 30+ years of research and development in the Steel Pan Artform have been incorporated into all of their professional mallet designs.

 

Panyard’s Anodized Mallet Series are manufactured from aircraft aluminum, making them easy to CLEAN meeting the sanitary requirements of today’s world.

 

Panyard’s pro-grade rubber tips have the perfect combination of viscosity, thickness and texture for achieving consistent and optimum sound quality along with longevity, ensuring the best possible tone from your Pan. Precision cut from the highest-grade polymers and coupled with a pair of your favorite Panyard mallets, offers the perfect combination for the perfect sound.  These replacement mallet tips perform and last! 

 

Panyard also offers a comprehensive collectio of sheet music. 

Using the JJ as a stand-alone instrument or adding to existing curriculum along with orff, ukulele, or a steel drum program couldn’t be easier!

The JJ easily intermixes with Orff instruments using current Orff methods/curriculum.

The JJ is best suited for K-8 in the General Music Classroom. Additionally successful in other programs such as:

Special Needs

Enrichment Programs

Music Therapy

After School

Performances

Fundraising item

Parents and members of the community love steel drum concerts.  Also makes a great fundraiser – many selling Jumbie Jams.

Jumbie Pans, Mallets and Stands are all Easy to Clean!

The JJ is a multi-faceted instrument. Both percussive and melodic, it creates a well-rounded musical experience that students enjoy. Exploring this instrument along with the culture of the island nation of Trinidad & Tobago, the birth place of the Steel Pan, provides opportunities for both musical and cross-curricular studies.

Pentatonic & Diatonic

The JJ Pan is one octave available in G, C or F Diatonic

JJ’s can be quickly & easily converted to G, C or F Pentatonic by applying the Panyard JJ Pentatonic Magnet Kit.

The JJ is very durable, standing up to the rigors of the classroom.  The Pan is formed from a single piece of steel, specially designed to perform as a high quality entry-to-intermediate level instrument. 

 

The JJ Ready-To-Play Kits includes:

16” diameter Steel Pan (choice of color: Chrome, Silver, Blue, Pink, or Purple)

Mallets

Stand – (choice of three stand styles Table Top, Tube Floor Stand or Metal Z-Floor Stand) The floor stands are height adjustable accommodating any size player. The stands are also collapsible, making the kit portable and easy to store.

Featured Products

Kits offered as single or economical 4-Pack Kits

Free download of Jumbie Jam Beginner’s Guide & Song Book to help you get started.  Also includes 5 audio tracks. 

The Jumbie Jam is named after a character in Trinidadian folklore; the “Jumbie”. This mischievous and playful spirit grabs hold of you, compelling you to do a particular thing. What you are urged to do depends on the type of Jumbie that bites you. You have now been bitten by the Pan Jumbie giving you the “Jumbie to Jam!”

Start Jamming today! Find World-Class Authentic Steel Pans at affordable prices in our online store.