Why Buy Same Type Cymbals All K's etc.

[Skyking]

I play older cover rock and country. I'm running my slightly darker, slightly trashy, 20" Artisan Vault ride, a slightly brighter medium thin XS 20, 18" crash and go way bright and wide open with a 16" AAX Fast Crash X-plosion. Individually, these were the best sounding cymbals I have found. But, this doesn't seem to be the route most take. Most (or many) stay in families, (all A's, K's, AA's etc). Is there a good reason, something I am missing, to consider redoing my sound other than to make them look all the same? Is there such a thing as continuity of sound? If so is it better to go for continuity in families or as I did it, with a progressing brightness? Right now, I'm just muddling through this.

[makinao]

IMHO, there's nothing wrong with mixing brands, models, and for that matter, sounds. The reason why many pros have one "family" of cymbals is they are usually endorsers, and under contract to use only that brand's cymbals. As for a lot of cymbal porn in this forum, its most probably what THEY liked. So stick with what you want.

[Mad About Drums]

Although I'm using all Zildjian cymbals within my set up, they're not from the same "family" within the Zildjian range of cymbals, I use a mix of A's, K' an Z' which are complementing each others very nicely, it's all depends on the "voices" and "colors" you want to produce, there's not set rules as far as I'm concerned, you can mix different lines from different brands, the only factor that's matter is what works for you within your playing and your style of music. :-)

On my big setup, I use 2 Paragon's, 1 X-Plosion fast crash, and 2 stage crashes. Three different models from Sabian, but all work really well together. There are no rules. It is what sounds you are looking for. I personally went for cymbals with different pitches that all sound like they are from the same family. My front three are 16" Stage to the right, 16" Fast crash in the middle, and 16" Paragon to the left. The three descend perfectly in pitch, and are all from different lines.

[burn-4]

i'd say it's actually more common to take different cymbals from different lines than it is to use all from the same "family"

I use a mixture of A custom, K custom, K, Avedis and Oriental. If I bought a set of A customs I don't think I would like them all. I have an 8" A custom splash which I love but I bought the 10" A custom splash and it really wasn't for me so traded it in for the oriental splash without a second thought!

As long as you like the sound then it doesn't matter what the name says that's just each companies name that they made up for it!

[mutzy]

Some people just have OCD.

I know I did. However I found a Paiste 2oo2 18" Paperthin crash worked VERY well with my 13" K hihats, and my 20" Giant Beat works just as well.

[Drumolator]

Last night I did a four hour gig with our blues band. I played XS20 hats, a B8Pro Ride, an AA thin crash, and an AAX studio crash: all Sabian, four different series. I was very pleased with the sound, and so were my band mates. Do what sounds good to you. Most drummers would question my using a B8Pro ride because I have played drumset for over forty years, and I afford a more expensive ride. But I really like the sound.

No two drumsets are alike. Viva la difference!

Peace and goodwill.

[Skyking]

Sorry but IMHO music and cymbals do have rules, they aren't written in stone, but there are rules. To name a very few...Most of us play with a ride and a crash for an all around flexible sound and rides are larger than crashes. Heavy cymbals sound higher pitched than lighter cymbals and most all logos are oversized. Most of us use similar drums made of the same material (birch, maple, acrylic) and most maintain some form of tom head continuity. When we go around the set we usually play high pitch to low. And there are still dozens more. Without continuity or basic rules everything would just sound like a jazz fusion group, (jazz kiddn). We do our own thing at personal peril and expense. So what's a good rule of thumb for a guy who's still acquiring cymbals? If staying with the same family is not important then what is? Does dark and bright mix musically well on the same kit and same songs? Or do I just throw together any 20-22" ride, a 16" and an 18" crash and stop overthinking it? I'm nearing my maximum lifetime limit on cymbal purchases as allowed by a frugal wife. She's already put an embargo on future Chinese drum purchases and the cymbals are next.

[SgtThump]

Originally Posted by Skyking

...Or do I just throw together any 20-22" ride, a 16" and an 18" crash and stop overthinking it?...

I vote for that... Kinda. I'm still experimenting myself, but my current "logic" is to have a right side crash and blends well when I'm using the ride on the right side and a left side crash that blends well when using the hi-hats on the left side.

Of course, I hit any cymbal when I feel like it, so that logic probably doesn't make much sense in the real world. Sure sounds like a solid plan on paper, though. lol

EDIT - Oh yeah, as far as the same family goes, I like it aesthetically. I can admit that it's more "uniform" to have the same brand of stands, the same brand of cymbals, etc... But I don't practice that totally either. I have hi hats, two crashes, and a splash from the A Custom family, two rides from the K family, and a ride from the Sabian AA family. I'll mix it up when I feel like experimenting (screwing around.)

[toddy]

absolutely no reason whatsoever
kids & people who order their DVD's in alphabetical order do that sort of shit

[tamadrm]

Originally Posted by sticks4drums

On my big setup, I use 2 Paragon's, 1 X-Plosion fast crash, and 2 stage crashes. Three different models from Sabian, but all work really well together. There are no rules. It is what sounds you are looking for. I personally went for cymbals with different pitches that all sound like they are from the same family. My front three are 16" Stage to the right, 16" Fast crash in the middle, and 16" Paragon to the left. The three descend perfectly in pitch, and are all from different lines.

"There are no rules"So maybe a Paiste or a Byzance or a nice 60's vintage Zildjian,could come over and play with your Sabians?What do you think Glen?;);)

Steve B

[Skyking]

OK guys thanks for the advice. I guess there are no rules of thumb when it comes to mixing cymbals which might explain the vast amount of choice we have out there. Tamadrm, I gave my Meinl Byzance Heavy Ride yet another audition today and she didn't play well with my Sabians. She was loud...real loud. But, my intuition says a Paiste Giant Beat Multi-Purpose would be a good place for me to start a new rock/country mix around. No rules here, just because I like em! Now how to tell the wife? :0

[GRUNTERSDAD]

I think the cymbal companies tend to make cymbals in the same line that compliment each other. Same basic sound in the HHX 16 and 18 crashes for instance. My 16, 18, and 19 inch Zildjian A's have the same sounds, sustain, etc other than pitch. some of it may be hype from the Manu. But I have had three sets of cymbals all along the same line. I do have a K ride now that goes with my A's and my New Beats.

[Skulmoski]

I see no problem mixing cymbals and do it myself. With time, many drummers acquire many cymbals that they swap in and out of their kit (e.g. they may have 2 to 20+ different ride cymbals). The key is that they are mixing sounds rather than cymbals. Therefore, purchase good quality cymbals that sound good to you and don't be constrained by purchasing within a product line or even brand.

GJS

[tkav1980]

I always just went by sound, and by accident alone ended up with all Sabian.

Originally Posted by tamadrm

"There are no rules"So maybe a Paiste or a Byzance or a nice 60's vintage Zildjian,could come over and play with your Sabians?What do you think Glen?;);)

Steve B

Well let's not go overboard now. :)

[dmacc]

Personally, I buy and play what sounds good to me within the context of the music I'm working in at the time - or - what I'm in the mood for.

I have a mixed bag of Zildjian and Bosphorus (mainly Bosphorus) and mix them constantly. I love the contrasts and blends.

I will say though, now that I've been playing Bosphorus, my stands are generally having more Bosphorus than Zildjian on them.

[Skyking]

This thread may be too old and dead but since I sent my ride and crash to Sabian for refurbishing I messed with the mix and found something to compliment my bright 16 inch aax xplosion fast crash. I put a thin 14 inch SR2 (high hat ) on the other side. I'm using it as a splash crash. It was originally an HHX high hat cymbal that I bought in SR2 redo. (My stand in ride is a 22" Zil. A.)

The 14 incher's dark sound complimented the bright 16 inch and can even be used for crash riding (Rock and Country). I tried a 15 inch Custom A crash in it's place but the continuity of sound going one crash to another was just not good. So IMHO yes there is something more to getting the right mix of cymbals. I just do not have the experience to figure it out. So, I still believe not all sounds are created equal. Some will sound better to most of us than others.

[braincramp]

I have always mixed and matched up until last year I went the all K route, but this month just bought a 20" HHX ozone and 20" Paiste twenty ride...so back to M&M..

[dwdrummerky]

I mix alloys and different series all the time.

My main kit has Paiste Signatures, Twenty, 2oo2 and Rude series. Everthing from B8 to B20. Even my main hats are Signature(B15) over Rude Sound Edge(B8). I have no problem throwing a K or HHX in the mix as well, ther are no rules. Although I find mixing Paistes easier than other brands.

[Bonzo_CR]

I choose my cymbals for sound first, but it turns out the ones I use most are one of each: K/Z hats, 'A' crash, A custom crash, K Custom (ride), K china.
For the hats I also have a pair of Quick Beats so mixing tops and bottoms makes for even more combinations. I love the variety!

[kzdruma]

This has bugged me for a while. I used to play all A Customs... I liked the sound of other cymbals more, but couldn't bring myself to mix and match. Eventually I realized how dumb that was and started buying other Zildjian models. I recently bought my first Sabian and love it. It wasn't easy getting into Sabian for this "Zildjian guy."

[Drummertist]

I play all Zildjian but it happend by chance. I just liked their sound. I have four A's and an A Custom splash.

[opentune]

Do what you want, or at least what your ears want. I tend to match brands BUT would find it very interesting if no cymbals were labelled....and went on sound alone anyway.

[aphrophluph]

I bought a set of Zildjian A Customs a few years ago when I upgraded to a new kit, and realized after a while that I wasn't super happy with them. I spent some time investigating and hanging out at my local music store in order to verse myself with as many cymbals as I could.

Many of the professional drummers that I follow and draw influence from talk about cymbals as being an element of the kit that is very personal, and I agree with that. I think if you try and experiment with as many cymbals as you can, you'll find the ones that speak to you.

I've since "graduated" to a setup that is much more personally satisfying. Sold almost all of my A Customs and landed on Zildjian K Custom 20" Dark Ride and 17" Dark Crash, and also a Meinl Byzance Traditional 18" Medium Crash. I've found that the K Custom Darks and the Meinl Byzance Traditionals work really well together. I'm planning on sticking with the K Customs and Byzances for future additions.

I actually kind of like the aesthetic of a kit that has all different kinds of cymbals.

[Coldhardsteel]

Because it looks nice.

EDIT: Whoops, didn't read enough. The complexities of cymbal tones and colors are far too deep to just assign them to the various ranges of darkness and brightness. You can have varying voices in bright tones and an equal number of variations in dark tones, so it takes a lot more criteria to build a set that compliments itself nicely. That said, families share many characteristics, making it easy to have cymbals that tend to compliment each other when you buy from the same series. I plan on buying an entire set of Giant Beats one day, and that's not just because I have a problem with non-matching visual characteristics, but it's also because they'll work together well enough.

[ChaosDecides]

Originally Posted by Skyking

I play older cover rock and country. I'm running my slightly darker, slightly trashy, 20" Artisan Vault ride, a slightly brighter medium thin XS 20, 18" crash and go way bright and wide open with a 16" AAX Fast Crash X-plosion. Individually, these were the best sounding cymbals I have found. But, this doesn't seem to be the route most take. Most (or many) stay in families, (all A's, K's, AA's etc). Is there a good reason, something I am missing, to consider redoing my sound other than to make them look all the same? Is there such a thing as continuity of sound? If so is it better to go for continuity in families or as I did it, with a progressing brightness? Right now, I'm just muddling through this.

I'm with you as far as how I select the cymbals I like. In some cases the one series might cover all the bases the drummer wants. Endorsees in some cases seem to have only one line of cymbals, but then again they might have been giving input during the creation process and that is their ideal setup.

[The Norris]

Originally Posted by burn-4

i'd say it's actually more common to take different cymbals from different lines than it is to use all from the same "family"

I use a mixture of A custom, K custom, K, Avedis and Oriental. If I bought a set of A customs I don't think I would like them all. I have an 8" A custom splash which I love but I bought the 10" A custom splash and it really wasn't for me so traded it in for the oriental splash without a second thought!

As long as you like the sound then it doesn't matter what the name says that's just each companies name that they made up for it!

I agree with that. However i love my 10" A splash and prefer the 8" A fast splash but my set up is a mix of K customs (14" dark hats, 18" dark crash) A customs (16" and 18" crashes and 20" projection ride) and As (8" fast splash, 10" splash and 18" china high).
I feel i can cover a good range with this set up. Best to have options with various cymbal lines, they all go nicely together. I do also have an 8" acustom splash and 6" zil bel

I'm also looking out for a 2nd pair of hihats to go on my right (12" or 13"). If anyone can recommend anything in particular that would go with this set up i'm all ears. Been thinking A custom mastersound or K custom dark/hybrid