How to Play a Splash Cymbal
Splash cymbals add extra color to drum kits. They are small -- typically six to 12 inches in diameter -- and have a sharp attack and short sustain. As with hi-hats, crash and ride cymbals, there are a variety of ways to play splash cymbals. The ways you choose to incorporate splash cymbals in your drum playing depends on the type of music you play, as well as the dynamic and textural needs of the song you're playing.
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Instructions
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Hit the splash cymbal in different ways and with different parts of the sticks to produce particular sounds. Hit the edge of the cymbal on an angle with the side of a drum stick to produce a loud, sharp sound; hit the cymbal between its edge and center to produce a sound similar to tapping on a ride cymbal, but with a shorter decay; or play the bell of the splash steadily to keep the rhythm of the song, as you would with a ride cymbal.
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Vary the intensity of your cymbal strike. Hit the cymbal straight on and hard for loud accents or hit the cymbal softly on an oblique angle for a more subtle accent.
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Accent parts of a song using your splash cymbal. If one beat or part of a song needs an accent, use a splash cymbal in place of a crash cymbal. Using a splash cymbal will add a new color to what could be an ordinary accent with a crash cymbal.
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Use splash cymbals to accent snare hits. Striking a splash and snare simultaneously will add color and sharpness to the snare hit. The same is true for tom drum hits.
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Use a splash in place of other cymbals during quiet parts of a song. Splash cymbals are quieter than most crash cymbals and are more audible when the rest of the drum kit and other instruments are played quietly.
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Use splash cymbals instead of crash cymbals during a quiet performance in a small room. Replace all -- or the majority -- of the crash hits when hitting a crash is too loud or overbearing for the playing environment.
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Begin a fill or a series of cymbal strikes using your splash cymbal. This helps introduce the fill or a new part of a song, such as a chorus or verse.
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Tips & Warnings
Be creative. Experiment using your splash cymbal in different ways and in combination with different sequences of cymbal and drum hits.
Try different brands of splashes, and splashes of different sizes, to find a splash cymbal that suits your needs.
References
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