Hi Hat set up, bottom cymbal

Kenny202

Active Member
Just wondering does the bottom cymbal just sit on the plastic cup / foam pad under? basically just floats there? I know there is an adjustment screw on the cup I assume to tilt the hats at an angle. What would be the purpose of tilting your bottom hat?
 
Just wondering does the bottom cymbal just sit on the plastic cup / foam pad under? basically just floats there? I know there is an adjustment screw on the cup I assume to tilt the hats at an angle. What would be the purpose of tilting your bottom hat?
It allows the cymbals to contact on just one side before completing contacting - giving that classic hat sound.
 
Having the hats tilted just a little will help give the sizzle sound when they're played Slightly opened
 
It provides for a sloshier sound than when the cymbals are parallel. Try tilting the bottom cymbal a varying degrees, partially opening the hats (with your foot), and play a simple rock beat with 8th notes on the hats. At some point the swish sound becomes more like swosh. Dial it in to suit your preference.
 
As stated previously, the angling of the bottom cymbal has two purposes: prevents airlock and improves "chick" & slightly-open sizzle sounds.

Most users tilt the bottom cymbal- and therefore, also the top one, when they're closed- downward toward the player. I've found that this creates a tiny bit of offset... not "gap", but, laterally, the cymbals no longer sit edge-to-edge, and the upturned edge of the bottom cymbal is now exposed, which really chops into my sticks when playing with the shoulder. I resolve this by turning the upper pipe of the HH stand 180° so that the cup tilter is on my side of the stand, which tilts the cymbal(s) slightly away from me. The downward slope of the top cymbal's bow ensures that its playing surface is not completely tilted further than parallel to the floor, but now that exposed edge of the bottom cymbal is on the other side, away from me and the shoulders of my sticks. Sawdust issue resolved.
 
I have the Zildj Mastersound K’s that have a wavy bottom that prevents airlock, hence I don’t screw with it.
 
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