Put the ‘e’ in Panorama

E-pan inventor Salmon Cupid is looking forward to the day when electronic pans are included in the National Panorama competition. For Carnival 2013, he worked with soloist and arranger Duvone Stewart to record and produce what he says is the first album to be made entirely using the e-pan. On the album, Stroke of Genius, Stewart uses the various tones of the steelpan and other tones such as the marimba, sitar and organ.

The e-pan has 127 different tones built in through the use of MIDI. According to Cupid, the album represents the future of pan. When he says future, however, he does not mean replacement. Cupid said he’s had to remind pan players and enthusiasts many times since inventing the e-pan in 1985 that conventional and electronic pans can work together to create even greater sounds. “The electronic guitar didn’t replace the acoustic and the keyboard didn’t replace the grand piano.

The e-pan just has its place,” he said. And what is its place? Cupid pointed out that Stewart also used the e-pan while writing arrangements for bp Renegades and Pan Elders this year. Using the e-pan, Stewart was able to record and score his compositions, which he was later able to transcribe through a computer programme. Once the music was printed, it could easily be distributed to players.

Cupid said this is the same method the band Afro Pan in Toronto, Canada uses. Cupid introduced the e-pan to the band. He also teaches music through the Toronto public school system using both the e-pan and conventional pans. MORE ABOUT CUPID: Salmon Cupid is a musician and teacher with more than 20 years of experience. He grew up in the east Port-of-Spain area and attended Rosary Boys RC Primary and Queen’s Royal College. Cupid has played in bands such as Pamberi, birdsong, Trinidad All Stars and bp Renegades.

The inspiration for the e-pan came after the steelpan tone was added to the keyboard in the late 80s. According to Cupid, pan players were losing out on recording opportunities because of the steelpan keyboard tone. Cupid developed his e-pan idea because he wanted pan players to be “selfsustaining.”

MORE ABOUT CUPID:

Salmon Cupid is a musician and teacher with more than 20 years of experience. He grew up in the east Port-of-Spain area and attended Rosary Boys RC Primary and Queen’s Royal College. Cupid has played in bands such as Pamberi, birdsong, Trinidad All Stars and bp Renegades. The inspiration for the e-pan came after the steelpan tone was added to the keyboard in the late 80s. According to Cupid, pan players were losing out on recording opportunities because of the steelpan keyboard tone. Cupid developed his e-pan idea because he wanted pan players to be “selfsustaining.”