So a couple of years back I purchased a set of low volume cymbals. I found them on Amazon for the low price of $140.00 Can. The kit had 2-14in hats, and a 16,18 and 20in crash rides and a darn good quality bag. One day I decided to try one of the 14s as a bottom hat. The clarity and volume it gave my old Sabian top har was amazing. And, of course it allows the air that is usually trapped between two conventional hats to escape freely. I’ve never gone back to two solid hat cymbals.
Inexpensive way to improve Hi Hat sound.
- Thread starter Sonorfan
- Start date
equipmentdork
Junior Member
Wow, that's really interesting! If I had one, I'd try it.
Now, off to see if Zildjian would make a scalloped Mastersound low-volume bottom
Dan
Now, off to see if Zildjian would make a scalloped Mastersound low-volume bottom
Dan
Luv4drums
Active Member
I have heard those quiet cymbals and sabians high end ones are great sounding. Not so much the lower end ones. If the day ever comes for me to get an electric drum set, I think I will use low vol cymbals with mics so I can do more with the triggers. Never heard a midi cymbal I like.
That is an interesting idea to mix hihats like that.
Rock Salad
Silver Member
Interesting! I have a pair of low volume somewhere,I’ll try that. Thanks
Tamboreter
Silver Member
I thought I might have been going down this route for a church service held in the gym, but as it turned out based on recommendations I received here... low volume cymbals became a moot point. I already had cymbals in my inventory that work perfectly for the venue. Here's what I'm using:
16" Istanbul Agop crashes for Hihats
17" and 20" Bosphorus Special Effects (with 18-holes) for crashes
20" Istanbul Agop Sultan Jazz Ride
I have also managed using a 12" Agop Sultan splash as well as a 22" Bosphorus Jazz Master China (the larger size has a lower fundamental pitch).
Luv4drums
Active Member
I think you would be pleased if you put your 16" crash cymbals up for the intended purpose and got yourself some 13", 14" or 15" Hihats, whether loud or not. They can't be louder than two crashes... any way could they? I recently took advantage of a sale at GC for two full boom/straight stands for 25 dollars each. The actual stands are very similar to DW stands the only notable difference is the material is much lighter than DW stands. You think durability comes with weight and maybe true, but I will gladly reduce the weight of any of my gear if it means saving literally hundreds of dollars for the exact function and does not change the sound.
Tamboreter
Silver Member
Yes, 14" hihats are more cutting and their higher fundamental pitch/frequency is perceived as louder than 16" crashes. I have 2 sets of 14" hats already, but they are not suitable for the loud boomy venue in which I play. The equipment has to be adjusted in order to "play to the room." The larger hats were not selected for durability or ease of hauling them around: it's what was needed to sound right in this environment. I received many thoughtful suggestions regarding what to use from guys here who have performance experience in similar venues. There are numerous pro drummers who use 16/17" hats in their setup. It's not uncommon or novel.
Even @Bo Eder uses 17" hats -a combo of two crashes. Check out his thread regarding this topic:
https://www.drummerworld.com/forums/index.php?threads/why-the-17-hi-hats-are-so-cool.181050/
Cheers
Luv4drums
Active Member
See, now when people post opinions, they get dismissive responses. I personally disagree with Bo's comment that people that play 14" hihats are inexperienced. (not exactly in those words but kind of how it seems you heard it) Literally 100's of 1000's of drummers at every level use 14"'s. If the fader goes down, that is what faders are on the board for. In fact I would go as far as to say if the person mixing doesn't know how to use a fader, maybe they are the one's lacking experieence. Could all be in the mic placement too. A good drummer plays the dynamics with his sticks. Personally I prefer the 14"s because I always use the hats that I love the most, so I am loud when it is the application and not so loud when the application calls for it. The hi hats are always too low in the mix for me, at least 90% of the time when everyone is playing the louder parts, in most music I listen to, you don't hear the hats well enough. You only tend to hear them during parts that everyone else is lower in volume. They absolutely should cut through every thing. But it is MY preference, yours, Bo's, and possibly a million others can be different without dismissing my experience, or my opinion. I am not saying that they sound bad, it just doesn't sound the way I prefer to sound. To each their own, may you find the sound that works for you, and have fun, that is what matters most. I once used symphony crashes for hats but they didn't work for me. I am certainly more interested in having my own sound than what other people's preferences are and I didn't intend to tell you what yours should be, I have a deep connection to my hats, I feel they are as important of a part to a drummers sound as their snare drum between the two sounds that is the signature of the drummer playing, add the bass drum and you get the fingerprint. I do want to get a remote stand and add a second pair, to compliment my set, but not to replace my beloved Sabians. I was thinking of even 13"'s to give the foot "chick" sound a different pitch.