how tight is your top hat?

[radiofriendlyunitshifter]

i've seen a few videos with drummers' hats sloshing all about like in this (http://www.drummerworld.com/Videos/glennkotchelong.html) video of glenn kotche, and

then i look at my hats when i play... and they're quite rigid. i don't tighten a lot -- barely so actually, but they are nothing

like that video or even less extreme examples. am i over tightening my top hat? or is a bit of rigidness normal? thanks

edit: the best example of what i'm talking about in the video comes a little after halfway through the video.

[secondXheartbeat]

Mine is prety tight. Not rigid, just enough to get a little sloshiness when i play them half open.

I think it just depends on what kid of sound you want and how much control you want over them when playing.

[maddrummr]

I tighten mine untill it the top hat sounds a bit muffled. Then turn it back about three times to let the top one resonate. I get all the slosh i need.

I have played some kits where they are super tight. And the hats lose sound.

[TitanSound]

Yeah I find its better to have the them slightly loosened otherwise the hats can sound choked if too tight.

[Deathmetalconga]

Yeah I find its better to have the them slightly loosened otherwise the hats can sound choked if too tight.

That's how I do it. There's probably around a sixteenth of an inch of play in the top hat clutch. That gives me a good "sssssssip" sound when doing shuffles, etc., but I still get good articulation when I need it.

[radiofriendlyunitshifter]

That's how I do it. There's probably around a sixteenth of an inch of play in the top hat clutch. That gives me a good "sssssssip" sound when doing shuffles, etc., but I still get good articulation when I need it.

ok, nice, that's what i've loosened my to.

thanks guys for the responses, i appreciate it.

[KzSgDrummer]

Just remember, the more you choke the hihat - or ANY cymbal - the more you're keeping it from vibrating the way it naturally wants to, and thus the faster it will crack because of undue stress.

[radiofriendlyunitshifter]

Just remember, the more you choke the hihat - or ANY cymbal - the more you're keeping it from vibrating the way it naturally wants to, and thus the faster it will crack because of undue stress.

yah, i never thought to apply that knowledge to my hats until i realized today that it seemed a bit too tight and stiff.

thankfully i realized this before something more drastic made me realize my error (like a crack)

[Maytridy]

I love that monkey chant video : )

I keep my hats as loose as I can without sacrificing control.

[Skitch]

This thread reminded me of the movie Rockstar in which I noticed that the drummer's hi hats had practically no movement. I then made sure that I had some in mine! Also, I remember something in the Steve Smith DVD where he had his loose enoigh for the hi hats to flip around, side to side!


Mike

http://www.mikemccraw.com
http://www.dominoretroplate.com

http://www.youtube.com/drummermikemccraw
http://www.myspace.com/drummermikemccraw

[Latin Groover]

i've seen a few videos with drummers' hats sloshing all about like in this (http://www.drummerworld.com/Videos/glennkotchelong.html) video of glenn kotche, and

then i look at my hats when i play... and they're quite rigid. i don't tighten a lot -- barely so actually, but they are nothing

like that video or even less extreme examples. am i over tightening my top hat? or is a bit of rigidness normal? thanks

edit: the best example of what i'm talking about in the video comes a little after halfway through the video.

Ive never seen Glen Kotche before but this was amazing! I love his sound! His drums sound so big and tribal, he has so many bits and bobs! Bozzio's kit has nothing on this! Its amazing. Although in the video it looks alot bigger than in the daylight photos. Does anybody know what hats he is using? Is every sound being made by him?

And yes in Steve Smiths dvd he does mention about his hihats, they arnt actually that loose, or not as loose as you would think. He demonstrates how you just need to get them started then they will continue sloshing.