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Thread: Hand Crashes

  1. #1

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    Does anyone use hand crashes like the Sabian Picante series or the Zildjian Azuka line? I believe meinl and probably a few others also offer cymbals designed for percussionists playing with the hand. As I await the arrival of my new congas I'm thinking of how I want to put together my percussion setup and these crashes have me intrigued. I've used the Sabian El Sabor line before and really like the sound, but I've never tried the hand crashes. Can anyone recommend these or give feedback about these types of cymbals? I'm mainly concerned with volume and projection.

    On a side note I've been considering buying one of the meinl hand cowbell beaters. It attaches to the cowbell mounting post and works on a sort of spring with a wooden beater so you can play the cowbell without a stick. If anyone has tried these before I would be grateful for your feedback.

  2. #2

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    Quote Originally Posted by Gretschhead View Post
    Does anyone use hand crashes like the Sabian Picante series or the Zildjian Azuka line? I believe meinl and probably a few others also offer cymbals designed for percussionists playing with the hand. As I await the arrival of my new congas I'm thinking of how I want to put together my percussion setup and these crashes have me intrigued. I've used the Sabian El Sabor line before and really like the sound, but I've never tried the hand crashes. Can anyone recommend these or give feedback about these types of cymbals? I'm mainly concerned with volume and projection.

    On a side note I've been considering buying one of the meinl hand cowbell beaters. It attaches to the cowbell mounting post and works on a sort of spring with a wooden beater so you can play the cowbell without a stick. If anyone has tried these before I would be grateful for your feedback.
    ***HOLA COMO ESTAS GRETSCHHEAD Mi amigo Creative artistic open minded DRUMMER ARTIST(CAT) THESE SOUND FANTASTIC *I use Tiny finger cymbals CALLED ZILS * I love these very amazing Tones **GRACIAS

  3. #3

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    I've thought about a hand crash for use while playing the bongos and congas, but never tried one.

    Good thread, I would also like advice on this.
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  4. #4

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    ***HOLA COMO ESTAS GRETSCHHEAD Mi amigo Creative artistic open minded DRUMMER ARTIST(CAT) THESE SOUND FANTASTIC *I use Tiny finger cymbals CALLED ZILS * I love these very amazing Tones **GRACIAS
    SWD, Zils are great, and the tone on them are amazing as you say. However I think you misunderstood my post. I'm not refering to hand cymbals that you hold and crash together, like you might see in marching or concert percussion, but actually single crash cymbals mounted on stands (just like a drumset), that are designed to hit with your hand. Often times they are refered to as multi-percussion hand & stick cymbals.

  5. #5

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    when my bud, my wife, and myself went to a school auction, we aquired a pair of hand crashes. Although my bud was going to take the hand things out to use the cymbals like regular ones. I don't think hand crashes in a hardcore band would look right

  6. #6

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    when my bud, my wife, and myself went to a school auction, we aquired a pair of hand crashes. Although my bud was going to take the hand things out to use the cymbals like regular ones. I don't think hand crashes in a hardcore band would look right
    Ok again, I'm not talking about 2 crashes that you hit together. This is exactly like a drumset crash cymbal but instead of striking it with a stick you use your hand. These are designed for hand percussionists.
    Last edited by Gretschhead; 11-14-2008 at 01:45 PM.

  7. #7

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    OIC, i actually haven't heard of that type of hand crash until now.

  8. #8

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    Gretschhead, I have not played hand crashes per se, but I'd say go for it! My "Latin Night" buddy has a small crash (not hand crash but close enough for this definition) that he's used for accents when he plays his bongos and congas at church...IMHO, if you've played hand drums any length of time, you will have NO trouble adding an occasional crash in your riffs...

    keep the beat goin' ... Don't keep it to yourself!

    Charlie

    "If a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer. Let him step to the music which he hears, however measured or far away." --Henry David Thoreau, "Walden," 1854

    "There's a lot to be said for Time Honored tradition and value." --In memory of Frank "fiacovaz" Iacovazzi

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  9. #9

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    IMHO, if you've played hand drums any length of time, you will have NO trouble adding an occasional crash in your riffs...
    I agree bro... I think it would be a cool addition for accents. I haven't decided if I want to build up a full percussion setup or not, but if I do I will certainly check these out. I like that they are hand/stick, because if I do get a full setup going I will most likely have some timbales thrown in the mix, so you're able to crash with either your hand while playing the congas or bongos, or with the stick when playing the timbs other percussion etc. Seems like the optimal choice, I'de like to get a first hand look at one though.

  10. #10

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    Cool Re: Hand Crashes

    Might have to check it out next time I'm bangin' congas at GC...
    keep the beat goin' ... Don't keep it to yourself!

    Charlie

    "If a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer. Let him step to the music which he hears, however measured or far away." --Henry David Thoreau, "Walden," 1854

    "There's a lot to be said for Time Honored tradition and value." --In memory of Frank "fiacovaz" Iacovazzi

    "Maybe your drums can be beat, but you can't."--Jack Keck

  11. #11

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    Default Re: Hand Crashes

    I know this is a really old thread now and most likely you've figured out a solution by now, but if others are interested I have some ideas that have worked for me.

    If you get a chance, try out some of the Sabian SR2 thin refurbished cymbals. Some of these are extremely thin and work very well with the hands. I have a 12" thin splash that is like 330 grams from this line and you barely have to hit it with 1 or 2 fingers to get a good crash out of it. It'd work well with light sticks too but be careful. You'd have to test them out in a store or by recordings online first because every one is different.

    Also, there are a line of china cymbals made by Xingsir that are sold on Steve Weiss Music. I have the 12" china splash from this and it is super thin as well, great to play with hands although it's easier for me to hit it if the bell is facing up. Note that there are 2 versions of these, the Weiss one and Xingsir make sure you order one from the Xingsir set if you want a hand-crashable one.

    Sizzle cymbals are very responsive with fingers as well. Not a regular crash, but it could work for more ambient textures.

    As far as the hand beaters go, I have not tried these but Pearl makes 2 cajon blocks, designed to be played by hand. You can stick them right to the side of a cajon or mount them to a 3/8 rod (how most other accessories mount). You just hit the top part and it hits the block. There's a high-pitched one for a clave sound, and a lower wood/jam block-type sound.

  12. #12

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    Gretschhead, I have tried the Picante and they are great, I have also used other very thin bright cymbals, the biggest issue for me was getting a consistent and predictable hit; often I would miss the cymbal altogether and look like a fool swinging in the air :( or hit too hard and the sound would just jump out of the music. However, having said all that I would add some to my setup if I had the cash on hand.
    What new congas did you get?

  13. #13

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    I find my old 9" Zildjian Oriental Trash splash and a little known Italian cymbal called Fisaggi (I've a 14" crash which came with my Trixon co.cktail kit a while back) are pretty responsive being hit with hands. I've several versions of my percussion set up.....a 100% acoustic, a 50/50 acoustic-electric and lately been using a 25/75 split acoustic-electric, but somehow these two cymbals (with a few other additions) seem to always pop up when choosing what to put in my set-ups.
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