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Thread: Hammering cymbals

  1. #1

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    Question Hammering cymbals

    Hi!

    I recently bought a new set of hi-hatt cymbals, and instead of wasting my old cymbals, I would like to try and get some different sounds out of them. I'm thinking of making a china(like) cymbal out of one of them.

    The old hi-hatts are old, really thin 13'' cymbals that were in my drumset by default. They are pretty high pitched.

    This are my questions:
    - How do I get that trashy china sound? Where do I have to hammer (near the bell, near the edge)?
    - Do I need to use a metal or wooden anvil for that?
    - Do I need a big (round) hammer, or a small hammer?
    - Because its a really thin hammer, how big is the of getting a crack in the cymbal?

    I hope somebody can help me.
    Mart.
    (Sorry for my bad English, it's not my native language)

  2. #2

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    Default Re: Hammering cymbals

    Welcome Mart098 to DC. You should go on you tube watch video of the Zildjian, Sabian factories on how they make cymbals. Good luck

  3. #3

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    Default Re: Hammering cymbals

    Quote Originally Posted by Mart098 View Post
    Hi!

    I recently bought a new set of hi-hatt cymbals, and instead of wasting my old cymbals, I would like to try and get some different sounds out of them. I'm thinking of making a china(like) cymbal out of one of them.

    The old hi-hatts are old, really thin 13'' cymbals that were in my drumset by default. They are pretty high pitched.

    This are my questions:
    - How do I get that trashy china sound? Where do I have to hammer (near the bell, near the edge)?
    - Do I need to use a metal or wooden anvil for that?
    - Do I need a big (round) hammer, or a small hammer?
    - Because its a really thin hammer, how big is the of getting a crack in the cymbal?

    I hope somebody can help me.
    Mart.
    (Sorry for my bad English, it's not my native language)

    Hi Mart. Welcome to the board.

    --The china sound is more easily obtained from the upturned lip you see on china cymbals, and can be approximated with hammering and holes. I don't know if you want to go this route.

    --Where to hammer: all over, depending on what sound you want.

    --Use a metal anvil. You'll be wasting your time otherwise and stand a better chance of cracking the cymbal.

    --Start off with a small ball peen hammer with a rounded head. You can experiment with other shapes as needed.

    --What are the chances of cracking the cymbal? Very good. You likely will. But who cares? You're just having fun, right?

    Do yourself a favor and go here to get a lot more advice:

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=40nG0iRK-yY

    Lance will show you how it's done.

    GeeDeeEmm

  4. #4

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    Default Re: Hammering cymbals

    If these are very thin, cheap cymbals that came with a kit by default, chances are they may be the super low quality entry level cymbals that you would easily destroy by hammering.
    What you should try instead is to simply invert the cymbal. I don't know the safest method for doing this...you can push the edges upward...some people will even sit or stand on the cymbal. The point is you want it to flip inside out, so the edge sticks up more than normal, sort of like a china cymbal.

  5. #5

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    Default Re: Hammering cymbals

    Quote Originally Posted by gdmoore28 View Post
    Hi Mart. Welcome to the board.

    --The china sound is more easily obtained from the upturned lip you see on china cymbals, and can be approximated with hammering and holes. I don't know if you want to go this route.

    --Where to hammer: all over, depending on what sound you want.

    --Use a metal anvil. You'll be wasting your time otherwise and stand a better chance of cracking the cymbal.

    --Start off with a small ball peen hammer with a rounded head. You can experiment with other shapes as needed.

    --What are the chances of cracking the cymbal? Very good. You likely will. But who cares? You're just having fun, right?

    Do yourself a favor and go here to get a lot more advice:

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=40nG0iRK-yY

    Lance will show you how it's done.

    GeeDeeEmm
    Thanks a lot!
    I already got a lot of help from Lance!

    Quote Originally Posted by pcs90 View Post
    If these are very thin, cheap cymbals that came with a kit by default, chances are they may be the super low quality entry level cymbals that you would easily destroy by hammering.
    What you should try instead is to simply invert the cymbal. I don't know the safest method for doing this...you can push the edges upward...some people will even sit or stand on the cymbal. The point is you want it to flip inside out, so the edge sticks up more than normal, sort of like a china cymbal.
    Thanks!
    They are indeed super low entry level cymbals.
    Should I use some sort of pliers to flip it?


    Maybe with both your tips I will get a nice (cracked) china cymbal.

  6. #6

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    Default Re: Hammering cymbals

    I tried this, long long time ago. The cymbal sounded pretty cool, but kept on popping back to it's former shape after just a few hits.
    Proudly playing:
    Doc Sweeney Drums
    A bunch of snares
    A bunch of cymbals

    Off-Set double pedals

    I think I love to play the drums simply because you get to hit 'em!!!

  7. #7

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    Default Re: Hammering cymbals

    I tried to make a china cymbal with a dirt cheap brass ride cymbal that was very thin - basically I took it outdoors and and hammered the centre of the bow - eventually I flipped the outer lip so it was a rough china shape. Unfortunately the end results were not good, in fact it sounded awful, so it went in my recycling bin.

    I drilled 3 rows of holes in a similar starter kit hi hat cymbal and after drilling, the cymbal sounded dark and very trashy and sounded far more like a china than a crash (or ozone crash)

    [IMG][/IMG]

    The only drawback is for a 14" cymbal it doesn't produce much in the way of volume - its far more like a small splash in volume and sustain.

    None of my two experiments were particularly successful but I use the drilled 14" as a practice china - the lack of volume is a plus as I am an apartment dweller! But it would be useless for gigging due to the lack of volume.

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