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How to get good sounds from your cymbals when playing the drums

Hi Hats

Beginners often play the hi hat too loud, and sometimes this is down to where they are hitting on the hi hat cymbals rather than how hard they are hitting. As a result, their playing sounds messy, and their sticks wear more quickly. If this is happening to you, it may be time to address your technique for playing the hi hats.

Regular hi hat sounds should be played using the tip of the stick on the top of the hi hat, half way between the edge and the bell, and range of dynamics can be played here. The left foot should press down quite a bit so that the sound is clean and tight. However, too much pressing down with the foot will give the sound a weird ringing noise, which doesn’t sound good, as well as being tiring pressing down with the left foot for long periods of time.

The area closer to the bell has a higher frequency tone, which is good for a brighter sound. This area is good for styles like soul funk, particularly for adding in open hi hats.

The edge of the hi hat should be reserved for accents or for more frequent use in heavy genres like hard rock and metal. Even in those styles though, variation between the top and edge are effective.

The edge of the hi hat should be played with the thick part of the drum stick, which is called the shoulder. This is the best part of the hi hat to get an open slushy sound – this is used most of the time in metal music and fairly often in rock too.

For most other styles, single open hi hats that close after are best played with the tip of the stick on the top of the hi hat. This gives a crisp clean sound. You will find that these compliment a drum groove nicely, and that playing an open hi hat on the edge is good for times when you want it to stand out more – for example if a band is playing some stabbed rhythms.

To get a nice sizzley jazz open hi hat sound, try hooking on a light chain on the top of the cymbal.

Finally, you need a good set of cymbals! For a good studio recording or live playing, an expensive set of cymbals will always be better. You can still sound good though by following the advice above, as long as you have a set of fairly heavy weighted cymbals, unlike the water thin style cymbals that come with some cheap beginners kits.

I will leave you with this thought: a well played set of cheap hi hats will always sound better than badly played top of the range hi hats.

Ride Cymbal

The ride cymbal can be pretty loud, so always try to lower your stick so that your strokes are fairly close to the ride cymbal – this should help keep the volume from getting out of control and also give you dynamic room at add accents on the ride or the bell when needed. Make sure to hit the ride half way between the edge and the bell with the tip of the stick – NOT the shoulder (keep that arm up!). Play the bell with the shoulder of the stick, or if you want a light bell sound, with the tip of the stick. You can crash the ride too when required. To get a nice sizzley jazz sound, try hooking on a light chain on the top of the cymbal (as pictured in the featured image).

Crash Cymbal

Always “Crash” using the shoulder of the drum stick, on the edge of the cymbal at about a 45 degree angle. Hitting it to the left or right of the middle will help prevent cymbal cracking. Strike with a glancing blow whilst also following through with your stick. Continue the motion left or right depending on where you are going to next. For example, if the cymbal is on the left hand side of the drum kit and you want to get to the ride cymbal next, hit the cymbal at the right of the middle and glance off to the right – you’ll arrive at the ride cymbal much quicker.

You can also play a crash cymbal like a ride cymbal, with the tip of the stick. For example, in Jazz this can provide opportunity for variation when there are a lot of ride based drum beats.

China and Splash Cymbals

Play these like you would play a crash cymbal.

Bell Cymbals

Like a huge bell from a ride cymbal, these really cut through any mix and are usually played with the tip of the stick or sometimes with the shoulder of the stick. Some players have them positioned upside down. There is no right or wrong way.

How to stop drum mutes and drum silencer pads from falling off

I teach drums quite a lot in different schools, and one thing that has been neccesary is drum mutes to go on the drums to reduce the volume of the kit.

One problem that has occurred is sometimes the pads fall off the toms or snare when playing.

To solve this problem, buy some velcro circles or strips of velcro and place two on each drum skin, one at 12 oclock, and one at the 6 oclock position, near the edge of the skin. Place the opposite side of the velcro on top, and then press on the pad on top.

You will now have removeable pads, which don’t fall off when drumming.

Sometimes the adhesive on the velcro wears out, or the velcro pad doesnt stay stuck to the mute pads. You could use some heavy duty glue to stick the velcro to the drum mute pad to solve this issue.

10 Drum Maintenance Tips

Photo Credit: Dejan Krsmanovic

A good drum kit can cost thousands so even if you have had one bought for you, look after it!

Make sure to tell your band mates not to do destructive “rock moves” on it like smashing their instrument on it, standing on the bass drum or jumping into it. They may have seen videos and got ideas, but when you’ve paid a lot of money for your kit, you need to lay out some ground rules with those ‘loose cannon’ band mates.

If you have to share your drums at a gig, you will find that other drummers tend to have respect for a drum kit that is kept in good condition. Either refuse to share your kit, or chat to the other drummers using it and let them know what they can / can’t do. I used to go to a blues jam night and the drummer of the band that played between the random jam sessions said to everyone you are welcome to use my kit, but just don’t move anything. This is completely fair in this instance because that would waste time and be an inconvienience for the drummer when the main band came back on to play. Other drummers will usually resepect any rules you give them.

How to Look After Your Drums Checklist

1. Keep Cymbals and Drum Shells Clean

2. Replace Broken or worn Drum Skins

3. Use protective patches (Evans, Remo and others make them) on your bass drum where the beater makes contact with drum. Never put duckt tape or gaffa tape or ANY other tape on there. It will get sticky when it wears through (only after a few songs) and your beater will start to stick to the drum after a while. This will wreck your drum and bass drum pedal. Replace broken patches immediately, for the same reason.

4. Make sure all cymbal stands have the correct plastic sleeves between cymbal and metal part of stand (may cause cymbal to crack otherwise) and that all wing nuts and protective felts are used. Never have metal contact with any cymbal. If you are sharing someone else’s kit, make sure you take spare plastic sleeves and felts.

5. The clutch for the high hats should have all the parts it came with. If not, replace it. You should also use it correctly – ask your drum teacher or someone in your local drum shop for more information. If you are a touring drummer that shares drums with other bands, you may come across a drummer that has a really bad clutch on their kit. Always bring your own clutch for this occurance. You will know what we mean when you come across one of those drummers. Don’t be one of them!!

6. If you share your drums with anyone at a show, make sure they bring and use their own cymbals, stands, snare and bass drum pedal. In return, you should bring these ‘breakables’ with you when sharing someone else’s drums.

7. Always set up your drums on carpet or a drum mat to prevent slippage of the drums. If they slip, your drums may scratch and be put in positions that damage them.

8. Transport your drums in soft or hard cases.

9. Transport your cymbals in soft or hard cases.

10. Consider having a practice kit (including a second set of cymbals) set up at home or in your rehearsal room, and having a gig kit in boxes ready to go. This is a lot easier, and also reduces wear and tear on the drum kit, and cymbals.