Cymbal type

Crash cymbal

Crash cymbals are mainly used for accenting and vary in size from 14" to 20". Entry models and common drum sets use the 16” and 18” crash cymbals.

Hi-hat cymbal

Cymbals attached to a stand, stacked one on top of the other with the cymbals facing inwards. Generally 14" is used, but there are also various sizes from 10" to 15". The upper cymbal is called the top, the lower is called the bottom, and it is common that the bottom is thicker and heavier than the top.

Ride cymbal

It is a cymbal that mainly keeps the rhythm. 18” to 24” are common, with a thicker cymbal larger than the crash cymbal. It is used when performing the rhythm to the chorus by jazz legato, pops, rock etc. in performance.

China cymbal

It is used as an accent that requires an impact, also called an effect cymbal. The size varies from 14" to 22", and some drummers do not use any effect cymbals depending on the drummer. Unlike normal cymbals, the shape is curved at the edge, and the sustain of the sound changes greatly on the front and back. It is the only cymbal that can be used separately.

Splash cymbal

Like the China cymbal, it is a kind of effect cymbal. It has the same shape as a normal cymbal, but it has a smaller diameter of 6” to 12”, so it has a higher pitch compared to a normal cymbal, and a shorter sustain feature. Use effectively for to accent parts of songs.

Each cymbal location also has a name. The raised part of the center is called the cup, the edge of the bowl is (you guessed it) called the edge, and the space between the cup and the edge is called the bow. The portion of the cup sounds loud and may be used on the ride cymbal.

The size and thickness also greatly affect the sound and character. The size is expressed in inches (1” = 2.54 cm), and the weight is expressed as THIN, MEDIUM, HEAVY (thick), etc. The larger the size, the lower the pitch and the richer the volume, the smaller the pitch. The higher the weight, the sharper the focus, the heavier the weight (thicker), the more powerful the sustain is, and the thinner the weight is, the shorter the sustain and the sharper the sound.

The finish of the surface is called the finish. A glossy finish is called a "brilliant finish", and the normal finish is called a "traditional finish (or regular finish)", and there is almost no difference in appearance, but the brilliant finish has slightly higher-end sound growth They tend to get better and have an elegant sound.

Cymbals are divided into cast cymbals and sheet cymbals.
A cast cymbal is manufactured by putting melted alloy into mold, and rich tones continue as the cymbal ages with the years.
The sheet cymbal is manufactured by hollowing out the rolled sheet. The pitch is higher than a cast cymbal, and it has a tight sound.
Also, looking at the surface of the cymbal, there are good models that are battered, but this is a cymbal hit with a hammer (hammered). This hammering often has a major impact on the sound, and manufacturer only allow specialized craftsmen to hammer cymbals. There are also machines that do this to even out the hammering. Models that are randomly hammered are dark and have multiple harmonics, and even hammering features sharp and even harmonics.

As you already know, cymbals are made of metal, so they can get oxidized just by interacting with the air or from fingerprints, making it dull or rusty. Therefore, although cleaners are sold by each manufacturer, depending on the cleaner, there are also products that are mixed with an abrasive, so be careful because the character of the sound may change if used frequently. Some drummers prefer the sound of oxidized cymbals. Many people cherish the sound characters that cannot be released with a new cymbal.