More low notes on a Tenor (Lead) Pan

by Poppy
(England)

Does anyone make Tenor (Lead) Pans with notes lower than C4?

I'm sure I'm not the only one frustrated when I have to jump an octave mid-song or have to play the whole song an octave higher, therefore losing out on the warm richness of the lower notes. Sometimes all I need is a Low Bb or B below C4... Please help ...
Thanks
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I share your frustration! I have run out of notes several times and had to change the key of a piece or like you, 'jump an octave mid-song'.

The good news is, it is possible to get tenor (lead) pans that go below C4 (middle C). The lowest I have seen is A3. However these pans are hard to come by.

Your best bet is to speak with a pan tuner and get him to custom make a tenor pan to your specifications. Depending on the diameter of the drum, you may also lose some of your high notes when you add the lower notes.

Another simpler (and cheaper) option is to use an Extended Range Tenor Pan, which simply means you play a tenor and double seconds (alto) pan at the same time. The tenor and the double seconds are played as one instrument.

There is no standardized set up for extended range pans. I usually hang the left half of the double seconds to the left of the tenor and hang the right half of the double seconds to the right of the tenor. In other words, the tenor pan hangs in the middle of the double seconds.

You can create extended range pans using any pans. Another example is playing a double seconds and a guitar pan at the same time.

The major problem with extended range pans is the sticks. Most pannists wrap both ends of their sticks. One end for the high notes and the other end for the lower notes and they flip the sticks as needed. This takes a little practice but is very doable.