Cymbal

Finger Cymbals

Today, the term cymbal refers to a large round metal plate with a hollowed center, however in the Middle Ages the term was also used for small bells. Cymbals are a concave plate of mixed alloys that can be played a number of different ways including struck by a stick or mallet and played against another cymbal^[1].

Etymology and Alternative Spellings

Fr: Cymbales; Ger: Becken; It: Cinelli, Piatti; Lat: Cymbala; Sp: Cimbalos ^[2].

The English word ‘’cymbal’’ is derived from the Latin term, ‘’cymbalum’’ and the Greek ‘’kymbalon,’’ both of which refer to a bowl, or drinking cup ^[3].

Construction

Since the mid-1600s cymbals have been made from an alloy of approximately 80% copper and 20% tin and often traces of silver. Due to the extremely brittle nature of tin, it has been determined that the method of mixing the metals is one of the key components in successful cymbal construction.

Cast

Castings of the aforementioned alloy that have been sorted by weight are transported through an oven with temperatures around fifteen-hundred degrees Fahrenheit. Once softened by the extreme heat, the castings are sent through two rollers that act to flatten, thin and enlarge them. This process can be repeated numerous times. Not only does this process begin shaping the cymbal, but it also ensures that the tin and copper is thoroughly mixed, creating a stronger plate. After the pressing process has been completed the cymbal is placed on a spindle where circular cutters will trim the cymbal to a specific diameter. The cymbal is then pounded or hammered. This can either be done by hand or by a hydraulic press directed by a computer. The cymbal is then placed on a lathe and cut into by a craftsman as it spins on an axle. The bottom of the cymbal is lathed both by hand and by machine, whereas the top is done only by hand. After lathing the cymbal is placed on an edging machine to smooth out the edges. After final manufacturing touches have been added and after upwards of twenty-one days, the cymbal is now complete.

History

Types

Crash Cymbals

Crash cymbals are a pair of cymbals held by a strap, one in each hand, that are clashed or crashed together.

Suspended Cymbal

A suspended cymbal is a cymbal that has been suspended by a strap through its hollowed center or by placing the cymbal on a stand with a rod that goes through the hollowed center. Multiple forms of suspended cymbals are used on the drum set as well as in an orchestral setting.

Ancient Cymbals

Ancient cymbals differ greatly from the suspended and crash cymbals. The primary differences are that ancient cymbals have a definite pitch and are much smaller and thicker than orchestral cymbals.

Chinese Cymbals

Sizzle Cymbal

Technique

Manufacturers

Fandy's Cymbal
Aegean Cymbals
Alchemy/Istanbul
Amedia
Anatolian
Avedis Zildjian Company
Bosphorus Cymbals
Diril Cymbals
Istanbul cymbals
Italian Bellotti Cymbals
Masterworks
Meinl
Murat Diril Cymbals
Orion Cymbals
Ozimar
Paiste
Sabian
Soultone Cymbals
Stagg
Supernaturals Foundry
Saluda Cymbals
Turkish Cymbals
Turk Masters Cymbals
UFIP
Wuhan
Yamaha
Latin Percussion

References

↑ “Beck, John, and John H. Beck, eds. 2007. Encyclopedia of percussion. 2nd ed. New York: Routledge.”
↑ “Beck, John, and John H. Beck, eds. 2007. Encyclopedia of percussion. 2nd ed. New York: Routledge.”
↑ “Beck, John, and John H. Beck, eds. 2007. Encyclopedia of percussion. 2nd ed. New York: Routledge.”

[1] “Beck, John, and John H. Beck, eds. 2007. Encyclopedia of percussion. 2nd ed. New York: Routledge.”

[2] “Beck, John, and John H. Beck, eds. 2007. Encyclopedia of percussion. 2nd ed. New York: Routledge.”

[3] “Beck, John, and John H. Beck, eds. 2007. Encyclopedia of percussion. 2nd ed. New York: Routledge.”

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