Question about high hat technique

[Danthelefty]

Hi all,
Entry level drummer here... I see vids of guys getting a good, short decay on high hats as a crash. I see in video both high hat cymbals look really loose and wobbly, giving that sound I guess. Doesn’t look as though he is just opening it and crashing the top cymbal.

I want a short quick decay without having to use a small China or trash symbol. If I loosen my hats, they fall apart.
Any help is appreciated.

 

[DrumDoug]

When you say they fall apart when you loosen them, do you mean the bottoms nut falls off? Depending on how old/cheap your clutch is, this might not be applicable, but any newer clutch will do it. If your bottom nut will tighten up to a point that it stops, then keep that tight and loosen the nuts on top to loosen the top hat. If the bottom nut just keeps going, take the top nuts and back them off to give you as much room to tighten the bottom as possible. You would them adjust the looseness with the bottom nut. That bottom nut will keep coming loose and eventually fall off as you play. You are going to have to tighten it every few songs. When you get tired of that, it will be time to buy a better clutch.