Playing The Bell On Your Hats

[Ekim]

Dennis Chambers was the first guy I saw doing this. He did it on Niacin's "Blood, Sweat & Beers" Live DVD. Very cool sounding technique.

How many of you do this? If you do it, how big is the bell on your top hat cymbal?

[mrchattr]

I do. It's a cool technique. I actually do something (I don't have a recording, sorry), where I play various sticking patterns with one stick on the bell, one stick on the main hats, and opening and closing very quickly at random. The end result sounds like a synth.

[Avendesoran]

I will use it for fun sometimes but it can require some dexterity... the bell on my top hat is tiny and the rod gets in the way

[zzdrummer]

Kind of a cool groove, sounds better on the record, I dont know if it is the hi-hat bell on the video because it sounds different on the record. Can't find that version on youtube.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KsTBN_14OKo&feature=related

[Muckster]

I always liked the way Alex Van Halen played the bell of the hihats on "Right Now."

[jeffwj]

I play the bell of the hats on cha-chas.
1/4, 1/8 1/8 - 1/4, 1/8 1/8 = Bell on quarters, reg. hits on 8ths.

This works especially well when you also have a percussionist playing cowbell.

Jeff

[Cozmo]

I once played a gig with a Beatles tribute band, and I'd forgotten my cowbell at home. When it came time to play "A Hard Day's Night" I just played the hi-hat bell instead of a cowbell, and it totally worked.

[yjb63]

I play on the bell quite often.

[jwildman]

The drummer for the offspring did it in the begining of Come Out And Play and I mainly play what other people do so I tied it. It sounds alright i guess but my hats have a small bell so I miss alot.

[drums_n_surf]

I will use it for fun sometimes but it can require some dexterity... the bell on my top hat is tiny and the rod gets in the way

yeah it happens to me as well. I could do it on my 14" hats, but the 13" ones are a bit of a pain sometimes

[maddrummr]

Oh yea... I love the sound. Works nicely if you are trying to play some triangle patterns.

[Clayton_C]

Jojo Mayer does this a LOT when he is doing 16th note grooves between his hi-hat and secondary snare drum.

[Ekim]

Just one more reason to go get me some 15 inch hats!