Smoky cymbals

[Jonnymac]

What exactly does it mean to you when cymbals are described as “smoky”?

 

[Lamontsdad]

What exactly does it mean to you when cymbals are described as “smoky”?

After you set them on fire, they are technically smoky.

 

[Gordogarbo]

A little dry, a little dark, not too dry, and not a long decay. Woody stick sound, not pingy or glassy. Maybe a hint of gonginess? But not too much. My main cymbal that I think of as smoky is my 24 K light. For some reason not the 22 though, lol.

 

[Seb77]

As if looking through a cloud of smoke or a smokey window? The rest of the music is clouded/darkened somewhat, less clear?
The cymbal itself would not be as clear/clean sounding, but somewhat trashy/noisy, going "tah" instead of "zing".

 

[mtarrani]

As if looking through a cloud of smoke or a smokey window? The rest of the music is clouded/darkened somewhat, less clear?
The cymbal itself would not be as clear/clean sounding, but somewhat trashy/noisy, going "tah" instead of "zing".

The "tah" is the main attribute when I think of smokey.

 

[Tama CW]

Very deep.....dark.....dry.....with some resonance and sustain. Usually medium thins, thins, and paper thins.

 

[toddbishop]

Airy with particulates? Tim @ Cymbal & Gong likes that adjective. To me it suggests moderately dark and complex, some raspy harmonics but not noisy/trashy. Not highly focused.

 

[Framecode]

 

[DrumPhil]

The "tah" is the main attribute when I think of smokey.

This makes me think of some of the Dream Dark Matter cymbals I tried at PASIC. Not saying that all dark-colored cymbals are smoky, but those sure were.

 

[Jonnymac]

I want one of those! Man, Marcus Gilmore…

 

[2oo2]

The videos already posted give a good representation of what “smoky” is, but you can also imagine a branch with thick leaves burning in a fire, the sound that emanates from it is just “smoky”. There are cymbals that have an extraordinary ability to resemble that sound.

 

[CSR]

“Dragon’s breath”

 

[Framecode]

I want one of those! Man, Marcus Gilmore…

Really want hihats that sound like that.

 

[Old Drummer]

I would interpret smoky as low-pitched with a trashy wash and a bit of a tah. In the alternative, I'd just think of the cymbal sound I'd expect to hear in a low-volume jazz combo playing a small, smoky bar. It's the opposite of loud, shrill, and piercing.

However, it's just a word and who knows what people mean by it.

 

[Lamontsdad]

Why do they make up all of these silly descriptions, seriously?!? It's thoroughly silly.

 

[Jonnymac]

It’s fine. I like the description. Sometimes descriptions that don’t seem to make sense do make a connection. Kinda like “La Croix tastes like static” or whatever. I kinda have my own idea of what “smoky” means, but I was curious for other’s answers. To me, in clinical terms, it means a clicky ride with just a little integrated bell, somewhat dry with indistinguishable wash. The kinda wash that disappears or dissipates in the music. I’ve heard K Lights and Keropes described this way, and I guess I agree. Some of the k cons, too. Definitely heard Old Ks that fit the bill.

 

[bigbonzo]

Posted in Talking Cymbals.
Smokey is in there:

Generally, these are for describing a ride sound, crash sound (strong accent on the edge of the cymbal), accent sound (shoulder of the stick on the ride area) bell sound, and harmonic profile. Also for describing definition and response, which are qualities of riding, accenting, and crashing.

Bright
Higher harmonics are emphasized generally.

Dark
Lower Harmonics are emphasized generally. An over-used word; I may use it to describe a very broad category of cymbal, or to mean, with specific individual cymbals, very dark, compared to warm or smoky.

Warm
Mid and lower harmonics subtly emphasized, generally harmonious profile.

Smoky
Lower harmonics moderately emphasized. Many Holy Grail cymbals fall in this category.

Gong-like
The cymbal crashes with a bwah sound; in my mind suggesting a low sound. Can be a pleasing quality, or it can be a flaw.

Exotic
Suggests an unusual Chinese cymbal or gong like sound or pitch bend.

Splashy
Suggests a cymbal that is very responsive to crashing, possibly with a high sound.

Clean
Focused, harmonious profile.

Dry
Harmonics de-emphasized relative to the direct stick sound.

Dead
Excessively dry or muffled, lacking in expected overtones. Not always a negative quality.

Live
Full harmonic profile, big wash, easily crashable.

Fast
Responds quickly to the touch of the stick. When crashing and rolling, builds to a peak and fades quickly.

Slow
Long crash sound that peaks well after the cymbal is struck. Could also describe a cymbal that requires a lot of force to get an explosive crash sound.

Funky
A mysterious combination of dark, dry, trashy, and exotic.

Noisy
Pronounced random harmonics. Could be used interchangeably with trashy, but noisy has a more negative implication.

Trashy
Harmonic profile tending towards a white-noise like sound; random harmonics dominating the sound.

Cutting
Strong, focused attack, tending to be higher-pitched, to cut through a large ensemble or electric band.

Piercing
Unbalanced high harmonics present. I would never use this word as a positive adjective.

Metallic
A persistent, obnoxious metal sound.

Clangy
A forceful metal sound. Generally negative, but moderate clanginess can be desirable; it can give raw energy.

Airy
Bright, light, non-metallic sound. I use airy to describe many of our Leon Collection cymbals.

Glassy
Lacking in body; almost an empty sound. Airy and glassy could be used interchangeably by different people, but for me, airy is positive, glassy is more negative.

Thin
Not referring to the actual thickness of the metal— suggests an insubstantial, tinny sound.

I have never thought to describe a cymbal as hot, but it is used. Sweet is a commonly used word the meaning of which I am unclear on, other than “sounds pretty”, or a pleasantly bright sound. I have played a few cymbals with a distinctly tubby sound. Cymbals are essentially springs, and I have encountered a few very strange cymbals with a springy, slinky-like tone. Some people say sticky to refer to a cymbal with a pronounced stick sound. Some have described sounds as actual colors: blue, red, green, yellow. I have no idea what is meant by that.

 

[BennyK]

corduroy trousers , a tweed sports jacket with leather elbow patches and desert boots at a wine and cheese party can mean only one thing ...

A smokier cymbal , to me , is one that establishes a broad propulsion without interfering with the harmonics of soloists , especially horns and vocals . heavier, pitch specific rides can become robotic in there response . Also , a smoker cymbal is more forgiving volume wise .

Like a fuzz-tone effect guitarists use , or over use, depending on your point of view .

I'm thinking about making rivets out of different , non metallic discs .

 

[Jonnymac]

Posted in Talking Cymbals.
Smokey is in there:

Generally, these are for describing a ride sound, crash sound (strong accent on the edge of the cymbal), accent sound (shoulder of the stick on the ride area) bell sound, and harmonic profile. Also for describing definition and response, which are qualities of riding, accenting, and crashing.

Bright
Higher harmonics are emphasized generally.

Dark
Lower Harmonics are emphasized generally. An over-used word; I may use it to describe a very broad category of cymbal, or to mean, with specific individual cymbals, very dark, compared to warm or smoky.

Warm
Mid and lower harmonics subtly emphasized, generally harmonious profile.

Smoky
Lower harmonics moderately emphasized. Many Holy Grail cymbals fall in this category.

Gong-like
The cymbal crashes with a bwah sound; in my mind suggesting a low sound. Can be a pleasing quality, or it can be a flaw.

Exotic
Suggests an unusual Chinese cymbal or gong like sound or pitch bend.

Splashy
Suggests a cymbal that is very responsive to crashing, possibly with a high sound.

Clean
Focused, harmonious profile.

Dry
Harmonics de-emphasized relative to the direct stick sound.

Dead
Excessively dry or muffled, lacking in expected overtones. Not always a negative quality.

Live
Full harmonic profile, big wash, easily crashable.

Fast
Responds quickly to the touch of the stick. When crashing and rolling, builds to a peak and fades quickly.

Slow
Long crash sound that peaks well after the cymbal is struck. Could also describe a cymbal that requires a lot of force to get an explosive crash sound.

Funky
A mysterious combination of dark, dry, trashy, and exotic.

Noisy
Pronounced random harmonics. Could be used interchangeably with trashy, but noisy has a more negative implication.

Trashy
Harmonic profile tending towards a white-noise like sound; random harmonics dominating the sound.

Cutting
Strong, focused attack, tending to be higher-pitched, to cut through a large ensemble or electric band.

Piercing
Unbalanced high harmonics present. I would never use this word as a positive adjective.

Metallic
A persistent, obnoxious metal sound.

Clangy
A forceful metal sound. Generally negative, but moderate clanginess can be desirable; it can give raw energy.

Airy
Bright, light, non-metallic sound. I use airy to describe many of our Leon Collection cymbals.

Glassy
Lacking in body; almost an empty sound. Airy and glassy could be used interchangeably by different people, but for me, airy is positive, glassy is more negative.

Thin
Not referring to the actual thickness of the metal— suggests an insubstantial, tinny sound.

I have never thought to describe a cymbal as hot, but it is used. Sweet is a commonly used word the meaning of which I am unclear on, other than “sounds pretty”, or a pleasantly bright sound. I have played a few cymbals with a distinctly tubby sound. Cymbals are essentially springs, and I have encountered a few very strange cymbals with a springy, slinky-like tone. Some people say sticky to refer to a cymbal with a pronounced stick sound. Some have described sounds as actual colors: blue, red, green, yellow. I have no idea what is meant by that.

Yeah that smoky description doesn’t really describe much, does it?

 

[foxy_shazamtastic]

You guys are so left-brain man. It’s just descriptive language, it’s creative. We are making art after all.