Learning Drums.org

Hi-hat or hihat is a type of cymbal and stand used as a typical part of a drum kit by percussionists in jazz, rock and roll, and other forms of contemporary popular music. It consists of two cymbals mounted on a metal stand, with a pedal-and-spring mechanism designed such that the cymbals can either be brought together by pressing the pedal, or raised to a predetermined (but adjustable before playing) distance by releasing the pedal. The hi-hat can be played by striking it with a drumstick or brush with the cymbals brought together (“closed”), or apart (“open”), or by using the pedal to forcefully bring the cymbal together. Hi-hats vary in design depending on which company produces them. Zildjian, Paiste and Sabian all produce popular makes of hi-hats. They generally come in thirteen, fourteen, or fifteen inch diameters. Because the sound made by the hi-hats is usually repeated over and over it needs to be accurate. The cymbals need to be of high precision and quality, and the drummer’s actions from with both pedal and drum stick needs to be precise.
Modern hi-hat cymbals are much heavier than modern crash cymbals, reflecting a continual trend to lighter and thinner crash cymbals as well as to heavier hi-hats. The other change has been that a pair of hi-hat cymbals are no longer necessarily similar. More typically the bottom is now heavier than the top, and may also be vented, this being one innovation to have caught on. Some drummers even use completely mismatched hi-hats from different cymbal ranges, of different manufacturers and even of different sizes.

Another recent development is fixed and cable-controlled hi-hats. An extended drum kit will often have a second set of hi-hats, normally smaller than the main ones, mounted to the centre or to the right. These may be fixed closed or connected by a bowden cable to a pedal operated by the drummer’s left foot.
Additionally, many drummers use a drop-clutch mechanism to disengage the top hi-hat in order to free up both feet while double bass playing. This results in the hi-hat producing a closed sound until the hi-hat foot is available again. The mechanism is disabled by fully pressing the hi-hat pedal.
And now in closing, if good quality is what you are after, then look to buy a used set of pro level hats….stay away from lower end cymbals. Some people do actually like them, but most don’t. The difference between cheaper lines and pro level (to my ear at least) is immeasurable, until next time.

Learning Drums.org Staff

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