Bertie Marshall

Bertie Marshall ( * February 6, 1936, † October 17, 2012 ), born as Bertram Lloyd Marshall in Port of Spain (Trinidad ), was a musician and instrument maker of the Steel Pan.

Life and work

Marshall came in the St. Vincent Street and grew up in Port of Spain, where he attended St. Phillip EC School. At 14, he already played in a steel band and spent much time on the backyard of the Panbauers Winston " Spree " Simon.

Since the steel pan was invented during the 1940s, put the instrument in the 1950s still in its infancy. Steel Pans had rudimentary tuned bumps, which were arbitrarily formed on the then only easily be exaggerated bottom of oil barrels. Bertie Marshall continued to work intensively with these sounding bumps apart and discovered the existence of overtones in the sheet. Then Marshall began his instruments to work harmoniously targeted to correct conditions to create. Marshall presented his concept of harmonious mood of Steel Pans 1956. In addition, he developed the double tenor, an instrument of the soprano range.

As a bandleader and Panbauer the Laventille Steelband Highlanders him get innovations that spread to Trinidad application found, such as the use of small moving van to transport large instruments at the carnival. Also sat by Marshall that his instruments were exposed roofs to direct sunlight or rain. This Roofing ( engl. canopies ) also allowed a better control over the sound of an orchestra.

1965 reinforced Marshall as its first Steelband means of contact microphones. From 1970 he was Panbauer the Desperadoes Steel Orchestra in Laventille. Together with their band leader and Panbauer Rudolph Charles Marshall developed the instruments ' Quadrophonics, Six and Twelve Pan bass. 1982 Marshall was part of a research team at the Caribbean Industrial Research Institute, which examined a possibility of mechanized prefabrication of steel pans with the company Saab in Sweden.

1992 Bertie Marshall was the Chaconia Medal awarded in gold. He also received in 2008 in recognition of his achievements by President George Maxwell Richards to the highest order of Trinidad Order of the Republic awarded.