G-Pan Musical Instrument

A Method of configuration of an orchestra comprising a plurality of acoustic steelpan musical instruments of compound design, wherein the orchestra comprises a plurality of at least four instruments and is capable of covering the entire musical spectrum of G1 to B6, a plurality of at least eight additional semitones, superfluous to the requisite musical range of A1 to F6 and wherein the playing surfaces of said steel pan instruments are of area

• S
• instrument
• =
• kS
• B
• 
• 
• 1
• 
• α
• J
• 
• (
• 1
• -
• α
• n
• 1
• -
• α
• )
• ,
• where SB1 is the area of a B1 note, α is the ratio of the area between consecutive notes, typically 0.93, n is the number of notes on the playing surface and, for the playing surface in the form of a spherical bowl mutatis mutandis, the radius of said playing surface is
• r
• =
• S
• instrument
• π
• -
• d
• 2
• where d is the depth of the bowl that forms the playing surface, and the number of drums of an instrument is given by ndrums≧Sinstrument/Ssoprano
• (a) For a G-Soprano, where the largest comfortable depth is d=10″ or 25.4 cm, with lowest note A3, J=22 and a 3-octave range,
• S
• soprano
• =
• 1.1
• 
• A
• B
• 
• 
• 1
• 
• α
• J
• 
• (
• 1
• -
• α
• n
• 1
• -
• α
• )
• is at least 4646.4 cm2, the required radius
• r
• =
• S
• soprano
• π
• -
• d
• 2
• being at least 32.7 cm or 12.9 in and ndrums=1 and therefore accommodates a layout for which the lowest note is higher than A3 and in particular the range C4 to B6;
• (b) A compound playing surface comprising a main playing surface, a secondary playing surface and an isolation gasket wherein the main playing surface is generated from a single playing surface, said single playing surface being produced by the depression of preferred sheet metal of circular form to the required depth, said metal having a diameter of at least 66.04 cm/26 in, said main playing surface being formed by creating at least one aperture of diameter of 20.00 cm/8.00 in, said aperture being incised at the midpoint of said note bearing surface, the perimeter of said aperture then being counter depressed to a preferred depth of at least 0.32 cm/0.125 in and a given width of at least 0.66 cm/0.26 in. and at least one 0.32 cm/0.125 in thick circular flange of inner diameter 20.00 cm/8.00 in and width 0.64 cm/0.25 in, said aforementioned flange being micro-precision welded and optimally melded, into the sunken perimeter of said heretofore mentioned aperture;
• said secondary playing surface being fabricated by first welding a 0.32 cm/0.125 in thick circular flange of inner diameter 20.00 cm/8.00 in and width 0.64 cm/0.25 in to a 1.00 mm/0.04 in thick circular sheet metal blank of diameter 20.00 cm/8.00 in, said portion of the sheet metal blank that is not attached to the flange then being sunk to create the required shape profile on said secondary playing surface which is then ground to attain the desired thickness profile;
• said main and secondary playing surfaces being melded by fitting said isolation gasket between the aforementioned flanges;
• (c) a chime circumscribing the rim of the playing surface;
• (d) a plurality of note covers;
• and
• (e) a plurality of at least two wheels attached to the chime, said wheels being constructed
• and technically arranged to pivotally support the drum(s).