I love watching cymbal demos on YouTube until they start doing this...

[Demonslayer]

When they pull a beautiful, NOS cymbal out of the vault then proceed to wail on it like a rented mule:

Wow this is pretty wrong - this comes from a metal drummer

 

[Demonslayer]

Totally agree with earlier comments about starting out on the bell or, even worse, mallets, or just as bad, 30 seconds of double-stroke rolls. All of those are useful to a degree, but it's a nuisance to have to skip past it to try to find that brief 10% of the demo where they show what the cymbal sounds like when it's being played the way a drummer would actually play it 99% of the time.

My vote for the best cymbal demos on YouTube for the award categories of Sounds-Like-a-Real-Cymbal, Played-Like-a-Real-Drummer, and For-the-Love-of-God-Get-to-the-Freakin'-Point-Already goes to Hazelshould Drums and Cymbals.

Gerry's demos have always been excellent

 

[Gunnellett]

He was the BEST. At one point he would give the weight of the cymbal, the model stick he was using, demo a wood tip and a nylon tip and sometimes demo 3-4 of the same cymbal at the same time. In fact I bought one from that kind of demo. I reiterate....he was the best!

You could tell if Ben was really getting into a particular cymbal as he would get that "stank face" going on.

 

[Steech]

I miss Ben White's demos. He knew how to showcase the cymbal, not himself.

I loved his demos and overall coolness. He’s the Bob Ross of cymbal demos. Ok, without the happy trees but still.

 

[Steech]

There's a guy that does cymbal vids over at Memphis ... who shall remain unnamed ... that drives me up the wall.

No matter the CRASH cymbal ... it's the same video.

Sunglasses indoors

tap the bell
silent
tap the bell
silent
tap the bell
silent
tap the bell
silent
tap the bell
silent
tap the bell
silent
play jazz groove on the bell with kit
play jazz groove on the bell with kit
play jazz groove on the bell with kit
silent
play jazz groove on the bow with kit
play jazz groove on the bow with kit

after about 30 to 40 seconds of this nonsense

crash the cymbal at an odd angle
silent
crash the cymbal too lightly
silent
crash the cymbal by the bell
silent

play the CRASH cymbal like a ride with kit

The guy infuriates me.

Same here.
I always thought it was Jim Keltner’s less talented half brother.

 

[Markkuliini]

For sure! How often do any of us play a cymbal roll with mallets? VERY seldom and even if we do...it's probably the last thing we're ever concerned about.

Also, vast majority of cymbals sound great and quite the same with mallets, it's hard to judge for example the sensitivity judging from a roll you're not playing yourself, because wash happens always at some point with mallets.
I feel that a cymbal roll made by someone else seldom reveals anything useful from the cymbal.

 

[BennyK]

Ben is the best .

I kinda wish cymbals would be showcased from the front of the kit ten feet from a ' peas n carrots ' bar crowd. Maybe accompanied by some sort of a band . Real life situations . Especially ride cymbals .

 

[ncdrumr]

Ride cymbal demos where they spend 90% of the time bashing on the edge or playing the bell, and almost never touching the FRICKIN' BOW!

 

[jtpaistegeist]

There's a guy that does cymbal vids over at Memphis ... who shall remain unnamed ... that drives me up the wall.

No matter the CRASH cymbal ... it's the same video.

Sunglasses indoors

tap the bell
silent
tap the bell
silent
tap the bell
silent
tap the bell
silent
tap the bell
silent
tap the bell
silent
play jazz groove on the bell with kit
play jazz groove on the bell with kit
play jazz groove on the bell with kit
silent
play jazz groove on the bow with kit
play jazz groove on the bow with kit

after about 30 to 40 seconds of this nonsense

crash the cymbal at an odd angle
silent
crash the cymbal too lightly
silent
crash the cymbal by the bell
silent

play the CRASH cymbal like a ride with kit

The guy infuriates me.

Nailed it! While cymbal shopping I often come across demos featuring this guy, and I instantly click away. Needs a backwards Kangol, a bowling shirt with the shades to complete the "I want to be referred to as a jazz cat" vibe.

 

[flatwins]

Nailed it! While cymbal shopping I often come across demos featuring this guy, and I instantly click away. Needs a backwards Kangol, a bowling shirt with the shades to complete the "I want to be referred to as a jazz cat" vibe.

I’ve watched quite a few cymbal demos on that channel but for some reason had never encountered sunglasses man (similar to smoking man from the old X-Files TV show). Now I’m on the lookout!

 

[SpinaDude]

Nailed it! While cymbal shopping I often come across demos featuring this guy, and I instantly click away. Needs a backwards Kangol, a bowling shirt with the shades to complete the "I want to be referred to as a jazz cat" vibe.

We on the same page here?

Demo speaks for itself...I have almost no idea what those drums sound like. LOL

 

[hawker]

I loved his demos and overall coolness. He’s the Bob Ross of cymbal demos. Ok, without the happy trees but still.

I think he had some hickory or maple trees in his hands.

 

[dustjacket]

We on the same page here?

Demo speaks for itself...I have almost no idea what those drums sound like. LOL

Can’t believe all the Tom Lonardo slander, haha. Don’t take the sunglasses indoor thing too seriously, he has a quirky sense of humor. Plus he sang Dog Police…

 

[Steech]

Can’t believe all the Tom Lonardo slander, haha. Don’t take the sunglasses indoor thing too seriously, he has a quirky sense of humor. Plus he sang Dog Police…

Not him. At least not the sunglasses at night demo guy I’m thinking of.

 

[hawker]

I’ve watched quite a few cymbal demos on that channel but for some reason had never encountered sunglasses man (similar to smoking man from the old X-Files TV show). Now I’m on the lookout!

I've heard a bit about him in the past. He's a well respected long-time drummer from the area and seems like a knowledgable, good guy. As an older guy myself...it's highly likely that his sunglasses are not just for being "cool"...but he may have some sensitivity to bright light, like the kind that are probably used to shoot these videos.

 

[Steech]

I've heard a bit about him in the past. He's a well respected long-time drummer from the area and seems like a knowledgable, good guy. As an older guy myself...it's highly likely that his sunglasses are not just for being "cool"...but he may have some sensitivity to bright light, like the kind that are probably used to shoot these videos.

Good point.

 

[Tdipaul]

Tom L > Ben W

 

[DrFrankCoco]

If anyone's hair starts blowing and their inside or if the sound/edits are Gucci studio quality level...I'm out.

 

[Demonslayer]

If anyone's hair starts blowing...

Wait...what?

 

[5stroke]

I miss Ben White's demos. He knew how to showcase the cymbal, not himself.

Ben was the best. Why didn't they train their other demonstrators to use his touch?