5 Simple Hacks To Modify Your Cymbal Sound | Finding Your Own Drum Sound

Modifying the sound of your cymbals can trigger your creativity and open up new possibilities for your playing. While you can simply grab a drum key and change the pitch of your drums it isn't that simple with cymbals. This is why we decided to create this video and present you some of our favorite tools and hacks to create new sounds. Have fun exploring all the possibilities and coming up with your own ideas.

00:00 Intro
02:05 #1 Crash and Splash Hats
04:22 #2 Stacking
06:10 #3 Sizzling Ride
07:52 #4 Inverted Cymbals
09:20 #5 Muffling

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Equipment used in this video:

Drum Kit:

Sonor AQ2
Finish: White Pearl
Bass Drums: 20x16
Toms: 16x15
Snare: 14x6 Sonor Cotton Wood Artist Snare

Cymbals:

Zultan
15" Heritage Hats
17" Heritage Crash
20" Dark Matter Ride
18" Dune Crash
18" Dune China
16" F5 Crash
16" Dark Matter Splatter Crash
10" Dark Matter Splash
10" AJA Splash

Microphones:

Beyerdynamic

Bassdrum: TG D70 (outside)/ TG D71 (inside)
Snare: M 201 TG (top)/ TG D 58 (bottom)
Overheads: MC 740
Hi-Hat: MC 950
Tom: TG D70

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#cymbal
#sound
#hacks
#drums
#artofdrumming

[bertweyeb]

One of my splashes inverted itself at some time when I was playing outside.
I reverted it, but one of my band members kept inverting it afterwards, because he liked that sound more then the original.

[capabartz]

Another way to do the sizzling ride is with a chain of paper clips.

[williep]

I missed the option of muffling the cymbals using two magnets (for instance those from Meinl). It's a great way of muffling and you can experiment easily looking for the right sound by moving them around the surface. Works great for my ride.

[dvdtrt]

Zultan cymbals are incredible!!! First time seeing a big channel like yours using them, it's great!!!

[RolfHering]

We need more Videos with Andi playing! He‘s one of my favorit drummers.

[DadBodDrumming]

The coin on the ride cymbol really sounded the best!

[foamysqueak]

Those Zultan cymbals sounds pretty dang good, mate

[Alex-Defatte]

Dude. Using a pair of fast crash cymbals as hi hats is unconventionally brilliant. Love stacking the splashes as well. And goofing with your set is like putting a capo on a guitar, you'll play new things. Genius.

[thomasvigneras]

His playing is highly Benny-inspired! Love it!

[djjazzyjeff]

I really like the kitchen towel trick, if only it didn't look so ridiculous lol. I find myself in live situations in smaller room, where we want to maintain the energy of a rockin' live show but the result is just cymbals smashing everything else. Perhaps a tan towel, custom cut to each cymbal size could get the effect in small rooms without looking so shoddy.

[sembalo]

The kitchen towel on the ride shortens the sustain of it very nicely will have to try that myself thank you. also reminded me of the chain on the ride, so much inspiration for things from this.

[brassseller]

Gaffer tape can also be used as bell protection if you get stuck.
And as a cymbal mute. Use gaffer 'loops' to dull both heads and cymbals, it works a treat!

[pablogaldino]

I am a begginer drums enthusiast. I recognized at same time The sound of the inverted Splash. I knew The sound but did not know wich cymbal did it. Amazing video!!

[RLStein-gihx]

I made a hi hat out of two rides.

Absolutely absurd! Thank you!

[karstenbursak]

you mentioned, that many hesitate to invert the cymbals bc they fear to break the cymbals ...

even broken cymbals are very interesting sometimes, not only for stacking ...
Steve Gadd already did this in the 70s ...
there are even videos of him playing the big stage with Paul Simon where he uses a broken ride cymbal where roughly 1/5 to 1/4 of the cymbal is broken of

[GeoffGillDrums]

Yes brother ! The inverted splash cymbal / stacked on a China…seriously just changed my sonic landscape. THNAK YOU.

[aesthetichomeboy]

About 1:33 . A free way to do that is simply put tape on the threads. Any tape will do but gaffers tape might be better so it doesn't leave any glue residue. Other than that cool video

[ttext]

The kitchen towel muffling idea was super helpful and made my cheap ride sound a lot better. thanks.

[djjazzyjeff]

I had a drummer one time do your Splash trick, but use an FX splash and keep them together pretty tightly, and it sounded almost EXACTLY like a midi "clap" sound. It was a really cool way to get that trashy fakey sounding 👏👏👏 that you hear sometimes in hip hop music, and as an effect.

[lukeanika]

first time to be here in your channel and i must say these are good stuff. great drumming man!