How to Play Drum Cymbals

Knowing your cymbals is as important as a painter knowing his color wheel. Cymbals not only help keep time and rhythm, they also unwrap a wide array of color and accents to your playing. There are traditionally three types of cymbals in a drum kit, each with a specific function. There are an endless number of variations on playing which fits any style of drumming.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. Learn each cymbal's characteristics. While it's not essential to have all three cymbals, most traditional kits have at least one. A ride cymbal is the largest and provides a heavy, deep metallic sound. A crash cymbal is smaller and has a thinner, mid-range sound. The hi-hat is the smallest and normally is used with two sandwiched together on a stand with a foot pedal controlling the amount of distance between the two. This produces the highest tone of the three cymbals.

2. Hit your cymbals at different locations and discover their characteristics. The bubbled middle section near the hole is the "bell." This produces a thick, metal tone used heavily in jazz. The large middle section is known as the "ride." Here you get a mix of shimmering metallic tone and high plinking sound. The lip of the cymbal is the "wash" and produces a dissonant metallic fade.

3. Mix these three areas up in your playing. Each provides a different sound and compliments each drum's sound differently.

4. Experiment with what part of the stick you use to strike the cymbals. By using the skinny tip, you produce a much more concentrated sound than if you bash them with the broad side of the stick.

5. Vary the force you strike each cymbal with as well. Sometimes light touches provide startling results. The same is true with the opposite.

Tips & Warnings

• Cymbals and drums are incredibly loud, always wear ear protection.