Cymbals come in various kinds and sizes. In this Buyer’s Guide, we explain the differences and help you to find the cymbals you need when you’re just starting! If you can’t find the answer to your question here, feel free to contact us.
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1. I Just Started Drumming. Which Cymbals Do I Need?
If you’re only just starting out, you don’t need much. In fact, a hi-hat alone could keep you entertained for some time to come, though most people get at least a crash cymbal. Standard, more basic kits like the ones you find in most music schools include a hi-hat, a crash and a ride cymbal. Later on, after you got a little experience, you can always expand your kit with special-effect cymbals or an extra crash, for example.
2. I Already Have Some Cymbals. Do I Need New Ones?
A fair number of beginner drum kits come including cymbals. This way, you can start playing as soon as you’ve set everything up. In most cases, however, the maker will have decided to include more inexpensive cymbals, meaning a new set of cymbals could prove a serious upgrade for your kit. As a matter of fact, it’s better to have cheap drums and a set of expensive cymbals than the other way around! Tip: a new pack of B8 bronze alloy cymbals (more on alloys in Question 6) is an excellent choice for ambitious beginners. If you already own a solid set of cymbals, you might be wondering when they’re due for replacement. That’s simple: either when they break or when your music-based hearing has gotten so good you can’t help but want to upgrade your sound. Until that time comes, you’re perfectly fine.
Cymbal size is expressed in inches and refers to the diameter. Great sizes for beginners include a 14-inch hi-hat, a 16-inch crash and a 20-inch ride, and just like most instruments: the bigger the size, the lower the pitch; the smaller the size, the less volume the cymbal produces. Bear in mind that a hi-hat is made up of two cymbals of the same size, which is why hi-hat cymbals are often sold as a pair. Tip: almost every brand offers standard cymbal packs including a hi-hat, a crash and a ride. These packs are not only a great way to give your drum kit a money-saving upgrade but ensure a matching set in terms of sound. The first upgrade a lot of drummers then go for is usually an 18-inch crash or an effect cymbal such as a splash.
Hi-hats are made up of a pedal and two cymbals piled on top of one another. Using your foot to push down the pedal, you determine whether both cymbals are pressed against one another tightly, gently, or not at all. This way, different sounds can be shaped. The hi-hat is crucial for backbeats; no other drum kit components get struck as often as the hi-hat during a song.To change things up, you could for example use a ride cymbal for this during the chorus. Intros and outros are usually played using a crash cymbal, while effect cymbals such as the splash (subtle effect) and china (raw and fierce) are great for accents but are definitely not a must-have for your first kit.
5. How Much Difference Does the Cymbal Material Make?
Cymbals are made using a special bronze alloy, made up of raw materials usually including brass, silver and tin. Most cymbal-makers have their own recipes that they use to cast their models and they may even use a different alloy-based recipe for different series of cymbals. Generally speaking, it’s safe to say that the more tin that has been added to form the alloy, the brighter and richer the cymbal will sound.
Cast cymbals are made using a B20 bronze alloy consisting of 80% copper and 20% tin. B20 is usually the best choice when it comes to great-sounding, durable and high-quality cymbals and may even contain traces of silver. Sheet-metal cymbals, on the other hand, are made using a B8 alloy containing 92% copper and 8% tin. As such, these cymbals are part of the mid-range price class and are essentially solid sounding cymbals offering outstanding value for money. Brass alloy cymbals are the cheapest models you’ll find and are made up of 62% copper and 38% zinc. Compared to B8 and B20 cymbals, brass cymbals have a smaller dynamic range and a lot less sustain, and often come included with entry-level drum kits.
Cymbals not only differ in diameter and the material they’re made of, but in weight and thickness. The thicker the cymbal, the higher-pitched the sound it produces will get.. In addition, fatter cymbals offer more sustain and more volume, but thin cymbals offer better response. Say you’re looking at a 16-inch thin crash, a 16-inch medium crash and a 16-inch heavy crash from the same brand and series. Here, the thin crash will sound lower and softer than the heavy crash, though that definitely doesn’t mean that you can’t combine thin, medium and heavy cymbals in your set-up.
8. Brilliant versus Traditional Finish: What’s The Difference?
Cymbals with a brilliant finish shimmer more, which in terms of sound translates into a brighter sound with an emphasis on the higher frequencies. Traditional-finish cymbals have a more raw, gritty and grainy sound backed by a broad mix of different frequency ranges. In regards to quality, there’s no difference between brilliant and traditional cymbals.
Cymbals basically don’t require any maintenance. In fact, the deposits that form on the surface over time can have a positive effect on the sound. If you do want to keep your cymbals shining bright, you’ll want to use a special cymbal cleaner/polish. Never rinse off your cymbals in the sink and never use any standard brass or silver polish. It’s highly recommended to use a purpose-made polishing agent, preferably by the same brand as your cymbals. Always try a little spot on the bottom of the cymbal first to see what it does and keep in mind that polishing your cymbals is done at your own risk: know that if you accidentally polish off the brand logo, this won’t be covered by the warranty!
Please note: Prevent early cracks by taking cymbal size into account when you play. The smaller the cymbal is, the more careful you should be. Hitting a smaller splash with full force can easily damage it.
When you want to transport your cymbals, a solid cymbal bag or case is essential. If you own multiple cymbals, it’s advisable to go with a bag that offers separate compartments for each cymbal so that they can’t bump into each other and cause damage. Cymbal cases more often than not feature a centre hole screw so you can secure the cymbals in place, just don’t forget to add cymbal felts to prevent them clashing together and damaging each other. Also, whenever you take a break from playing, slide your cymbals in their bag or lay them on a soft surface, preferably with the top-side facing down. Never set a cymbal upright on its edge against a wall or on a hard surface!
