03/11/2022
ALLAN GERVAIS
I have in my possession a pair of Double Seconds. This pan was sent to me to be tuned. It was made by Mr. Allan Gervais 55 years ago. I am sure of the date because I was present when he made this pan in Montreal in 1967 while on tour with Esso Tripoli Steelband. I assisted in getting the drums for him. I was also lucky to spend the next3 months watching him work and asking question, all of which he answered ( except if he could hear the harmonics LOL). I have always been curious to know if Allan mastered the techniques of "Harmonic Tuning" I met him again in the early 1970s when I moved to Toronto.At that time I could now hear up to the 5th partial. I remembered asking him Again, on several occasions if he did but he would only smile.Now examining this pan, I am astonished at the quality of tuning he possessed. He achieved all the upper partials while at the same time suppressing the dominance of the octave, a problem which is challenging to the young tuners today.He also laid to rest the myth that you cannot tune a powerful note with the upper partials in it. Just go listen to Guiness Cavaliers' "Sixty Seven"!!! Allan's notes had maximum power, full harmonics, yet he was able to suppress the masking by the octave.He mastered this feature throughout the range of his pans. It is unfortunate that his techniques have been lost.
