Crash Cymbals
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The Crash Cymbal: Its Roots and Impact
From punching downbeats to signaling breakdowns, the drum set wouldn’t be what it is today without the humble crash cymbal. This accent maker evolved from suspended cymbals and clash cymbals used by orchestras and military bands of the early 20th century. Early jazz drummers at the dawn of the drum set flew cymbals from crude racks and stands to keep time and mark musical transitions from behind the kit. Thus, the modern crash was born.
Today’s crash cymbals look much different from their earlier ancestors. They’re made from more diverse bronze alloys, such as the bright, cutting B8 bronze and the harmonically mature B20 bronze. Modern crash cymbals also tend to be crafted much thinner to deliver richer sustains, lower tones, and more complex partials.
What size crash cymbal do I need?
Traditional crash cymbals have ranged in diameter from 14 inches on the small end to 18 inches on the large end. Cymbals smaller than 14 inches in diameter often fell into the splash category while cymbals larger than 18 inches would be considered crash/rides.
But all this is ancient history by today’s standards. Sweetwater carries crash cymbals starting at 11 inches and ranging all the way up to 26 inches (boy, do we feel sorry for that drummer’s roadie)!
Generally, if you’re looking for a higher tone and quicker decay, then shop for crash cymbals on the smaller end of the range. For beefier sounds and longer decays, the bigger, the better.
How does crash cymbal weight affect tone?
All things equal, thinner/lighter cymbals deliver a deeper, darker tone than their thicker/heavier counterparts. They also tend to be softer, quicker, and more delicate. Our advice: reach for thin crash cymbals if you baste your brass with a lighter touch. If you bash your crashes to get a more penetrating tone (common for aggressive styles of music), then stick with heavyweight cymbals.
Shop Crash Cymbals at Sweetwater!
Here’s good news: we live in a golden age when crash cymbals are available in just about every weight, size, finish, and composition imaginable. Whether you’re searching for a rock crash that can take a lickin’ or a jazz crash with the driest ping imaginable, you’ll find them all at Sweetwater. For more information, check out the crash cymbal buying guides below or give our drum-loving Sales Engineers a call at (800) 222-4700.
Cymbal Buying Guide | inSync
“How to Stack Cymbals for New Sounds” | inSync
“Zildjian K Paper Thin Crash: 400 Years of Craftsmanship, Distilled” | inSync
What are the most popular brands for Crash Cymbals on Sweetwater.com?
What are the most popular Crash Cymbals on Sweetwater.com?
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Zildjian 18 inch K Cust Dark Crash Cymbal
★★★★★ 8 reviews
$389.95 -
Zildjian 18 inch A Custom Crash Cymbal
★★★★★ 8 reviews
$344.95 -
Meinl Cymbals 20 inch Byzance Traditional Extra Thin Hammered Crash Cymbal
★★★★½ 8 reviews
$449.99 -
Zildjian 18 inch K Zildjian Sweet Crash Cymbal
★★★★★ 11 reviews
$322.95 -
Wuhan 18-inch Western Medium Thin Crash Cymbal
★★★★★ 15 reviews
$112.50
Why shop Crash Cymbals at Sweetwater.com?
With a massive selection of Crash Cymbals, free shipping, a free 2-year warranty, 24/7 access to award-winning support - and more - Sweetwater gives you more than any other retailer! If you have any questions about Crash Cymbals, make sure to give your personal Sales Engineer a call at (800) 222-4700.
