Like many of the cymbals on this list, the ride can be played on the bow, bell, and edge. It may seem like a slight difference, but 1 inch diameter from 20 to 21 can be a lot in terms of cymbal wash volume and overall feel of the cymbal. The 20 inch and 22 inch diameter are the more common, but odd sizes like a 21 inch are also available. The cymbals linked below are from my current collection, as well as some of the cymbals I’ve used in the past. Various sizes, usually holes in the cymbal create a trashy or unique sound. Two identical cymbals, each held on one hand or the other, struck together with specific techniques for achieving quality sounds. Used like a crash, ride, or splash - main ride patterns or accents. Two or more cymbals placed close together so they touch and make a new sound when struck with a stick. Smaller diameter thin cymbals that excite fast and decay quickly.Īccents, supported or unsupported by drums. Played more like a ride cymbal, especially in big band. Like a China with equally-spaced holes and rivets around the end of the bow where the flange starts upward, often mounted with the bell facing up on the cymbal stand. Trashy crash sound with a flange on the edge angled in the opposite direction as the arc of the bow, often inverted on the cymbal stand. Thin cymbal that excites faster than a ride when struck on the edge and decays quickly for control.Īccents and phrase markers whether struck directly or rolled, can be used as a ride cymbal by playing with the tip on the bow or the shoulder of the stick on the edge repeatedly. Main time-keeping cymbals, played with stick or foot. Two cymbals, each with the bows facing outwardly, on a stand designed to bring the top hat down onto the bottom with a foot pedal. Main time-keeping cymbal, sometimes used as a heavy crash. Large diameter cymbal played like your riding along on a train or galloping with a horse. Let’s get into the different types of cymbals. Avedis Ziljian III, for example, made the first thin crash cymbals and crash / rides in the WWII era. These days, you can get a cymbal for almost any timbre or musical situation that comes to mind.Īlthough the history of cymbal-making dates back thousands of years, most of the cymbals we use today have been developed since the 1940s. They come in different specifications that affect the sound - lathed or unlathed, brilliant finishes, thick or thin, and so on. The most common types of cymbals include the ride, hi-hats, crash, splash, China, and effects. They are obsessed over and influence techniques as much as the snare drum, and there are several different types of cymbals that could complete your drum set. Cymbals share an equal role among the drums.