Rimshot
New member
I was reading some of the posts on one of these threads about a new drum kit and a lot was said about cymbals. Some drummers were advocating Zildjian A'a some Custom A's, Some K's and Some Paiste, etc. They each had their opinions about which were the best.
All cymbals are good.... for something. I use primarily Custom A's, but not because they are the best cymbal, but because they are usually best for me and suit my style of playing. I play mostly BeBop and Hard Bop jazz in small club and restaurant settings and I am not a heavy hitter on my cymbals. I have a very large collection of cymbals that I've accumulated over the past 40+ years and I have just about every kind. Once for a session I was required to play some heavier rock beats and I used K's and Z's. For that application they were perfect. I have some of the cheaper "entry level" Zildjian B8's and Sabians and for certain things, they are useful (but certainly not for general playing for me). But all cymbals have their uses. Just like snares. I have a pretty big selection of snares that I will switch up and use for different sounds. My favorite snare that I use a lot is my Yamaha custom Birch with wood hoops, but I also love my old Slingerland snare and I even have a custom made 14"x 12" 10 ply maple with a wide snare wires that gives me a deeper tone to get a heavy backbeat for blues.
Use your ears and select the sounds that you want to get in your music. With cymbals, get an assortment that you can use for all sorts of different sounds. You'll have your faves that will always be on your kit (I have an old 24" Avedas ride that I love) and I have my own wacky set up for my hats (Zildjian 14" K on the bottom and a 14" Custom A fast crash on the top) this gives me a terrific sizzle and is perfect for what I want. I also have use for smaller hats and I've used a heavy 12" B8 on the bottom with a Sabian 12" Salsa splash on the top. It works.
I play more cymbals than most Jazz drummers (usually at least 5 plus hats) and sometimes less and sometimes more depending on what I'm playing. It's all about the sound.
All cymbals are good.... for something. I use primarily Custom A's, but not because they are the best cymbal, but because they are usually best for me and suit my style of playing. I play mostly BeBop and Hard Bop jazz in small club and restaurant settings and I am not a heavy hitter on my cymbals. I have a very large collection of cymbals that I've accumulated over the past 40+ years and I have just about every kind. Once for a session I was required to play some heavier rock beats and I used K's and Z's. For that application they were perfect. I have some of the cheaper "entry level" Zildjian B8's and Sabians and for certain things, they are useful (but certainly not for general playing for me). But all cymbals have their uses. Just like snares. I have a pretty big selection of snares that I will switch up and use for different sounds. My favorite snare that I use a lot is my Yamaha custom Birch with wood hoops, but I also love my old Slingerland snare and I even have a custom made 14"x 12" 10 ply maple with a wide snare wires that gives me a deeper tone to get a heavy backbeat for blues.
Use your ears and select the sounds that you want to get in your music. With cymbals, get an assortment that you can use for all sorts of different sounds. You'll have your faves that will always be on your kit (I have an old 24" Avedas ride that I love) and I have my own wacky set up for my hats (Zildjian 14" K on the bottom and a 14" Custom A fast crash on the top) this gives me a terrific sizzle and is perfect for what I want. I also have use for smaller hats and I've used a heavy 12" B8 on the bottom with a Sabian 12" Salsa splash on the top. It works.
I play more cymbals than most Jazz drummers (usually at least 5 plus hats) and sometimes less and sometimes more depending on what I'm playing. It's all about the sound.