How To Choose Cymbals
By Tim Bragg
Manufacture
Cymbals are made of metal alloys - there are four main types of alloy with combinations of tin and copper; zinc and copper and copper and nickel - there are special "secret alloys" too. In the manufacture of these cymbals they can be pressed out of sheets of metal (and machine-hammered - controlled by computer) or hand produced and hand-hammered. Hand hammering means that a craftsman has carefully hammered the cymbal to give it its unique sound (and balance).
Which Type?
The things to remember and consider when buying a cymbal are:
What sound do you want - what is its role?
From this -
What size diameter?
What size bell?
Sounds
Drummers may have many kits and change kits fairly often but once they have found the cymbals they love don't tend to part with them. Most of the cymbals I have are over twenty-five years old. The main cymbals you'll need - in order, are (probably):
Hi-hats
Ride
Crash
Other
Hi-Hats
Hi-hat cymbals (a balanced pair) fulfil two functions - they can be played by a stick (with that famous psss sound achieved by opening the hi-hats at the same time as striking with a stick) or by opening and closing with the left (or right!) foot. The latter keeps time (as a jazz drummer I also use my left foot to clash the hi-hats together to create a crash effect).
There is a real difference and quality of sound between heavy and thin hi-hat cymbals and cheap varieties can sound dull, lifeless and "soak up" energy. Too heavy hi-hats can make it harder to keep time with your foot. I use Paiste (404) hi-hats and am very happy with them. They sound good for rock (using the neck or shaft of the stick) and great for jazz (though for most of their life they didn't get used for jazz at all). Unfortunately Paiste 404s can only be bought second-hand.
Ride
Ride cymbals (like all) come in different sizes (from 19ins to around 24ins diameter). What is needed with a ride is a clear stick sound and a lack of "built up" sound as you play. If sound does build up the rhythmic tick of your beat will eventually be drowned out. A clear bell tone is also useful as this gives a rhythmic alternative - having said this some rides come without a bell at all. (The "bell" of a cymbal is the raised central part - through which the cymbal is attached to a stand.)
Sometimes a ride cymbal is required that gives a continual sustained sound and jazz drummers (including Mitch Mitchell of the Jimi Hendrix Experience) might use a "sizzle" which is (usually) a ride cymbal with rivets driven into it! A similar effect can be used for rock drumming by playing a crash cymbal as a "ride".
I use a Zildjian (20 inch) ride - the greater the circumference the clearer and stronger the ride's sound - although it is quality of manufacture and alloy that gives the best tone. Zildjians were made in Turkey and the USA; Custom and K Zildjian are made exclusively in the USA - mine is hand-hammered and you can see the dents! Sabian now produce hand-hammered cymbals. (Istanbul makes cymbals similar to the Turkish Zildjians of old.)
Crash
A crash is as it sounds - staccato but with some resonance. If you "crash" a ride cymbal the effect is lacking in impact and the sound continues for some time. A good crash is strong, powerful and without too much delay. It is a punctuation mark in the music - a beginning or an end. I have two Paiste (18 inch) crashes that are beautiful in tone. I also have a really cheap, nasty crash (of unknown manufacture) that I use as a different ride sound (it has no quality of sound but taps out a precise beat and contrasts well with the warmth of my Zildjian). If I were to crash this crash! - it would sound like a dustbin lid.
The size of the bell (as with all cymbals), will also affect the sound of the crash.
Effect Cymbals
Apart from the basic set-up of a pair of hi-hat cymbals, a ride and a couple of crash cymbals there are other so-called effect cymbals. These cymbals offer "colour" to your range of sounds and include:
Splash - a small cymbal that sounds like a 1920s jazz-type crash.
China - these are used as both an alternative ride sound or as a crash (imagine a crash cymbal in an oriental drama).
Crash/Ride - a combination (not usually successful) of the qualities of both.
And many others with different circumferences, thickness of metal, size of bell (including some that are just the bell!) and quality of sound.
Manufacturers
In my opinion the best cymbals are produced by Zildjian, Paiste (making a comeback), Sabian and Meinl. All cymbal manufacturers carry a range of cymbal types to cater for the kinds of sounds you need for the music you play. Heavily hammered cymbals such as Zildjian K Customs give a dark sound compared with the bright As and A customs and are ideal for rock playing. There are also other cheaper cymbals available. A cheap cymbal CAN sound good just as an expensive cymbal CAN sound bad. There is little alternative but to try cymbals out until you get the one with the sound YOU prefer. But see below…
Buying Blind (or rather deaf)
If you have to buy your cymbals from the internet then do as much research beforehand as possible. Go into your local music shop and get a "feeling" for the type and make of cymbal you want - play your friends' cymbals. Ask drummers at gigs which cymbals they prefer. Go on websites that discuss these matters and show the kits and cymbals your favourite drummers use. The more research you do the more likely you'll buy a cymbal that sounds good. BUT - even if your favourite drummer plays such and such cymbal, that doesn't mean that is the cymbal for you. A cymbal adds colour, texture and a variety of musical sounds that contrast and highlight the sounds of your drums - a drummer is a musician and needs to choose his/her sounds carefully. Your technique and musicianship will be affected by the quality and sounds of the drums and cymbals YOU choose.
