Who Cares What Cymbals I Use On A Gig

[CherryClassic]

Our leader is a retired school music teacher with a Masters and is fussy about cymbal sounds especially as regards our Be Bop numbers as he likes that long wash that was common on those 50s recording. He asked if I had an old K or a Swisher. I simply hung hardware store drain stopper chains from each cymbal and he’s very happy.
go figure !

You are so lucky. I've never had a bandleader since high school tell me what he wanted from me. I've found most don't know what to say or ask.

Example: One night the leader had a band banner and couldn't find a place to hang it. He hung it over my bass drum. It sound terrible; during the first break I asked him how my bass drum sounded. He replied: It sounded good to me. I replied: I didn't play it. As I walked away the steel player explained why. When I came back the banner was gone. He apologized. I didn't get mad, I understood that some people just don't understand. All he knows is how to sing a song. And for that reason he's not a exceptional singer but he is on key.

sherm

 

[lossforgain]

I'll echo what others said, many listeners won't care unless they sound BAD. I choose what cymbals I play because I like them.

 

[JazzDrumGuy]

I don't care what you use, as long as it sounds good and right for the music and room. I have lots but the odd ones that make up my standard gigging set are an IAK 14" over a quick beat top, LSR is a 19 Soultone Old School patina crash ride, main is a Bosphorus traditional ride and R. side crash is an 18" Dream vintage Bliss crash ride. They give me everything I need for my main band's gig.

I just had a private gig at a golf course restaurant on Saturday. I had been practicing with a 17" K custom dark crash left and 22" Agop SE Jazz ride w/1 rivet as my ride. It was fine. But in the room, the 17" wasn't cutting it so I swapped for a 20" K Con Rennaisance ride which sounded great. Nobody cared or even knew, but I got a lot of "you sound great" comments.....

Absent a direct request from the gig/venue/person hiring you, use what you need and know best for the music & room.

 

[michaelocalypse]

I was in a band with a guitarist who was not stop buying new amps, pre-amps, rack gear, guitars, pickups, strings, and whatever else to get the ultimate tone and sound. If anyone even hinted at physically taking care of a drum, much less how it sounds, his response was, "Who cares? You just hit it anyways."

The people who don't play drums don't know there's a difference, and they don't care.

 

[rpludwig]

I care, the studio cares, the audience doesn't have a clue!

 

[Houndog]

I was in a band with a guitarist who was not stop buying new amps, pre-amps, rack gear, guitars, pickups, strings, and whatever else to get the ultimate tone and sound. If anyone even hinted at physically taking care of a drum, much less how it sounds, his response was, "Who cares? You just hit it anyways."

The people who don't play drums don't know there's a difference, and they don't care.

I care, the studio cares, the audience doesn't have a clue!

The audience who buys tickets , comes to shows , that audience doesn’t care ???

You would be surprised, it’s not like people are going to come up and complain about your tone face to face …..

I’ve engaged fans and asked them about “ our sound “ and you’d be surprised…..

 

[michaelocalypse]

The audience who buys tickets , comes to shows , that audience doesn’t care ???

You would be surprised, it’s not like people are going to come up and complain about your tone face to face …..

I’ve engaged fans and asked them about “ our sound “ and you’d be surprised…..

I've asked the same questions and I was surprised... at how little the people cared about the sound of any particular piece of gear. Alternatively, if I mention that a drummer is using beginner gear, then people get mad at me. I have learned a lot from going out to see live music and interacting with the other side of the stage.

 

[DrBoom]

I think most listeners (non-drummer or non-musician) won’t outright notice or particularly care about cymbals or gear choices. But I think they’ll subconsciously notice if it sounds “bad” to them - whatever that means to them.

It’s like bad lighting in a room. Unless someone is an architect or designer, they probably won’t pinpoint the lighting as the reason the room feels dark, small, or uninviting. But they feel “off” and maybe they just attribute it to a bad party or vibe. Nobody is going to complain to the host about the lighting (as long as it’s not atrocious) but they might leave early or be less social, etc.

Yes, I’m in the middle of a home remodeling project. My analogy could use some work…

I think your analogy is excellent.

 

[Sequimite]

I've always subscribed to the theory that women mainly dress for other women. I think when it comes to cymbals, and often drums, we are targeting other drummers in the audience as they are the often the only ones who "get it".

 

[DrBoom]

I was in a band with a guitarist who was not stop buying new amps, pre-amps, rack gear, guitars, pickups, strings, and whatever else to get the ultimate tone and sound. If anyone even hinted at physically taking care of a drum, much less how it sounds, his response was, "Who cares? You just hit it anyways."

The people who don't play drums don't know there's a difference, and they don't care.

People can get trapped in their own bubbles. Guitar Tone-junkies are a special breed. I went to see Eric Johnson with a guitar playing buddy and within 2 minutes he had analyzed Eric's entire rig. I know because he described it to me in detail. I bet he still remembers all those details to this day (it was in 2020, actually the day before Covid shut everything down). I am also sure he remembers that there was a drummer and not a single other detail about the drums or drumming.

 

[Markkuliini]

I've always subscribed to the theory that women mainly dress for other women. I think when it comes to cymbals, and often drums, we are targeting other drummers in the audience as they are the often the only ones who "get it".

Great analogy. Because most men are very effected by what women are wearing EVEN THOUGH they might think they don't care about such things.

Just as audience is subliminally noticing band/drummer/cymbals sounding good, but they just don't know why.

 

[LukeS]

My opinion on this is perfectly captured by this video (Louis Cole, “Mean It”), eg its lyrics, performance, and gear.

Ie, if you have conviction that you can express yourself with your instruments, it doesn’t matter what they are. If the instruments impede your expression, that matters.

 

[Rusty Knorr]

The only ones who care are drummers, meaning you, and maybe one audience member. Play what you like, no one cares what drums or cymbals you play. In fact, the audience doesn’t even care if there is a drummer, most would probably rather hear a drum machine these days.

 

[Whitten]

I've never met an audience member that had an opinion on my cymbals. people will say "the drums sounded great" which is nice. Probably most of my live playing involves a PA and microphones. That is going to have a big impact on your drum sound.
I'll say it again, other people DO care about your gear choices, that is other band members and the sound team. If you are playing loud, clanky cymbals, band members will (and should) notice. It makes their job harder. Likewise the sound team. Except for ride, cymbals are an additional flavour and often just peek above the general band mix. If your cymbals are infiltrating every mic on the stage, your sound team are not going to love you.
Yeah, I primarily play the cymbals I like, but I have different cymbals for different jobs, mostly different rides and hi-hats. Crashes - I generally like darker, quieter crashes in any genre.

 

[Markkuliini]

I've never met an audience member that had an opinion on my cymbals. people will say "the drums sounded great" which is nice.

Or could it be that they just sum the sound of the whole drum kit+cymbals in to one word; drums.

 

[Drumming dog]

It may be just me, but it doesn't seem to matter what cymbals I use on a gig.

In a classic rock band, long, long ago... I purchased some vintage 70's Zildjian (A) cymbals, and after our first practice with them, I asked the guys in the band, hey did you like the sound of the vintage Zildjians? The response: crickets.

Does the audience really care what cymbals I use on a gig? I mean,, as long as I use a ride for a ride, hats for hats, and crashes for crashes, does the quality matter?

As a test last Halloween, at a private party, I used a set of Wuhans from my bandmate's garage. No complaints; besides myself. I changed them out after a couple songs for my sanity. (They actually don't sound too bad for an in-expensive set of cymbals.) But my Sabians sounded much better to me.

Thoughts?

My only reasons for picking certain cymbals is either artist request, size of venue, and recently request from band mates with hearing challenges. Its kind of cool flipping stuff around, it has me approach the instrument differently. You are probably right as far as audience is concerned. At this point, i feel i play for myself and the artist(s) im playing for.

 

[Rstamey1]

Nobody goes to see the drum kit, they go to see the drummer....

 

[Steech]

There was a guy who came to one of our shows back when I had two pre-split Istanbul crashes, the green ones. I didn’t know him but he came up right after the show and said those two crashes were the best he’d ever heard. He didn’t say anything about my playing or the band’s music but I remember seeing him at a number of shows after that and really grooving to what I was doing and then giving me thumbs up when I’d hit the crashes. I even saw him with two other guys I didn’t know at a show and they were clearly into the crashes too.

I was torn between feeling proud that he liked my gear and being scared that he might try to steal it.

 

[bigkickleo]

It may be just me, but it doesn't seem to matter what cymbals I use on a gig.

In a classic rock band, long, long ago... I purchased some vintage 70's Zildjian (A) cymbals, and after our first practice with them, I asked the guys in the band, hey did you like the sound of the vintage Zildjians? The response: crickets.

Does the audience really care what cymbals I use on a gig? I mean,, as long as I use a ride for a ride, hats for hats, and crashes for crashes, does the quality matter?

As a test last Halloween, at a private party, I used a set of Wuhans from my bandmate's garage. No complaints; besides myself. I changed them out after a couple songs for my sanity. (They actually don't sound too bad for an in-expensive set of cymbals.) But my Sabians sounded much better to me.

Thoughts?

It really depends on the situation - I doubt the 80s tribute band I sub with would notice, if I swapped the entire set of pies (hell, they have very little appreciation for the quality in their regular drum chair - their full time drummer has never learned the actual drum parts, it's grating whenever I have been in the audience with him on the kit - the bass player knows better, but the singer couldnt care less really). I digress, I have gigged with some really high level players (between Tx/ Nashville) and have had MANY compliments on the sound of the Legacy cymbals I typically use. Things like "Man, I LOVE the cymbals you bring out - they just sit really well in the mix" (with in ears), or if they're on wedges - "they aren't harsh and killing my ears - even if you're riding that crash!" - esp if a small stage and they're stuck right next to me. So there ARE some discerning ears out there whether players or FOH/ Monitor Engineers. Just depends on whose around!
Cheers!

 

[dcrigger]

I've always subscribed to the theory that women mainly dress for other women. I think when it comes to cymbals, and often drums, we are targeting other drummers in the audience as they are the often the only ones who "get it".

Personally never gave a single thought to what drummers might be in the audience - or for that matter, the audience period.

My ability to get to play with people has always been determined by those people wanting to play with me. So they are my sole concern - those I'm playing with and/or working for.

And they continue to want to play with me, because it feels good to them, it sounds good to them and it makes them happy to do so. So it is my responsibility to know what all is involved with eliciting that response. Playing the music well, making it feel good, fitting in as to balance, dynamics - and part of that is produce an appropriate and satisfying sound.

And they don't have to know how cymbal sounds play into that. That's my job.

Sure it's great to hear the occasional "great tom sound" or "love those hi hats" - but I have never come to expect those comments - and in fact sometimes go years between them.

Which was fine - as long as I kept getting called back. I don't expect them to know this - that's my job.

I just don't see the point in searching out or worrying about these mini-affirmations - instead of just focusing on the big win, the validation.... getting called and keeping the gig.