The instruments of a calypso band have changed over time.  In the early days of calypso skin drums were used for percussion but in 1884 the government outlawed the drums in an effort to stop calypso music and it protests.  Due to this calypsonians moved on to bamboo and created sticks of varying length.  These bambo sticks were smacked on the ground to create the percussion but these too were banned by the government as it claimed these sticks encouraged violence.  Once again the musicians moved to other instruments such as guitars, maracas and bottle-and-spoon.

 

In the 1930s the steel pan was invented.  At first these were made out of anything that was metal and a pan shape such as paint cans and garbage pans.  Eventually they were unifromally made from 55 gallon oil drums.  By the end of the 1930s there were entire bands made up of just steel pans and they were called steelbands.  These bands use all types of different steel pans, conga drums, grater and cowbell and a drum set.

 

Today's calypso band includes a brass section with saxophones, trumpets and trombone and a rhythm section with guitar, keyboards, bass, and drums.

 

Source:

Cazaubon, Mantius. "Calypso Instruments - Instruments Used in Calypso Music." Soca Freak. Web. 20 Dec. 2015.