hi hat top vs bottom

[pacifusion]

HELLO again cymbal pros out there!
i was just experimenting with a few diff hihat set ups.
mixing tops and bottoms and diff. models..
realised although some hats came from the same set the top and bottom sounds quite different..
i kinda like the sound of a sabian xs20 bottom on top and a pearl stock below,
this makes two okay cymbals out of a good pair of sabians and a lousy pair of stock =x

just wanna ask if u guys know whats the different between the top and the bottom.. or is the only difference the logo LOL?
why are they made to sound different? hmms.

 

[snowflier]

i'm not a cymbal pro but i think most (if not all) hi hats have heavier/thicker bottoms. why? let someone else answer that :mrgreen:

 

[jeepers]

the difference is in the weight.

the top hat is lighter than the bottom hat.

most drummers like and tend to play around different hi-hat combinations to achieve the sound they're looking for. many of them play around with hats of different weights and brands, even crashes. if i remember accurately, i've seen someone mentioning on cymbalholic the use of 20" hats. so it really boils down to what sounds you're looking for; of course, you can afford to play around more if you've got an extensive collection like drum_hobbyist!

hi hat theory question - Cymbalholic Forums

hi hat weight questions - Cymbalholic Forums

hi hat rant - Cymbalholic Forums

Matched Hats - Cymbalholic Forums

hope the links would serve you well.

and i'm pretty darn sure weckl-x will pop by with some amazing links and info!

 

[Razorzedge]

The answer you seek is in the history of Cymbals... the basic hi-hat was initially created using 2 crash cymbals and if you use that theory into practice the combination of hats can be limited just as long as it produces the right sound for the right occasion. In the past there were even drummers that used larger cymbals for the bottom and smaller cymbals for the top the theory was that since your hitting downwards the sound will travel and project upwards with greater volume... personally i tried using a china with a hit top connected to a remote hi-hat just to get a nice sizzle from it... the whole lighter top and heavier bottom is actually a myth as not all hats are like that like i said before that the hats are to your preference create your own signature sound! i guess thats what makes the drumset so amazing... oh and yea to some extent it is just the brand and the reputation its like placing a bet that a straight A student will get the next paper perfect versus a school dropout A'cing the paper, consistancy is what made zilds and the major cymbal companies who they are today...

 

[pacifusion]

thanks thanks!
you guys helped a lot.
no lah this is for everyone, not only cymbal pros know everything mah! haha
got more opinions?

 

[kari_convention]

i love playing bottom hats on top because its heavier and double stroke can be done more easily. well at least for me..

 

[myner]

kari, if you do that, won't your open sound be very thick and dead? what pair of hats do you do it with?

 

[Razorzedge]

hmm i think sometimes thick and dead might be what your aiming for in ur hats sometimes an overreactive hats that ring too much might affect your playing especially when your playing 32's... ehh i donno la some of the zildjians sound dead and are made to sound that way... personal preference?