Need help with cymbals!

[Quadruple]

I'm new here and I would just like to say that it is a great thing that we have these kind of messageboards where drummers can share their thoughts about the art of drumming and music. So thank you Steve!

I am planing to buy new pair of hihats and I was wondering if you guys could help me. I am looking for something very funky and Zildjian. Have anyone ever played Quick Beat hihats or those small Special Recording hats?? I think Billy Ward likes to use both of them(??) and I just love his hihat stuff.

Are those hihats that Dennis Chambers uses in his videos(Serious Moves, In the Pocket) 12" quick beat... if so.. does zildjian make those anymore??

Thanks and sorry for my bad english...

[mja61]

Hello Quadruple.....welcome to the board!

I think Dennis used 13" Quick Beats in those videos. (As I recall, the videos came out before the 10" and 12" SR hats). However, I'm almost positive Dennis used 12" SR hats on the Steely Dan tour, which you can hear on the "Alive in America" CD.

I have 13" K/Z hats that I bought about 16 years ago. At the time, I was either going to get those or 13" Quick Beats. The K/Z had more "punch" and a lower pitch, which I like. (Plus, Dave Weckl was using them, which was the most important reason!)

What I like about the K/Z is that they are dark, but also are precise, especially for those quick, funky "bark" accents. I find that something like 14" K Customs have a rich, dark sound, but you can't get the same accurate, funky bark out of them.

The Quick Beats still are cool, but probably would not be my first choice. I always thought the SR hats were so high-pitched that they sound like toy cymbals.

That said, I think my next pair of hi-hats will be 14", have an A-Custom mastersound bottom, and perhaps an A-Custom, K or K-Custom top.

Anyway, happy shopping. (English looks great, by the way!!!)

[Lee Collins]

To be honest, I thought chambers was using the 12" SR's in serious moves. They certainly sound exactly the same as the ones on the 'live in america'. Anyway, I would recommend the 12" SR if you can get them. I have a pair of 10" SR's, and they're fun and funky, but I shoulda got the 12"'s, they sound better.

[no_more_baths]

seriously? man thats awesome...

[matricks]

I dig the New Beat 13's. The hats i am using now are 13's and are quick beat top on top and K top on bottom. Pretty funky, high pitched.

[Quadruple]

thanks guys. I just played 13" quick beats at local music shop and they sounded great. But I want to try those special recording hats before I make my choice.

Any suggestions conserning ride cymbals would be nice too... I'm looking for something jazzy yet something I could use in a pop/funk setting. I love that ride that Keith Carlock uses with Sting (or at least used when he was here in Finland) I think it was 20" constantinople medium?? Any suggestions would be very helpful.

Thanks.

[Lee Collins]

Also, I borrowed a friends 12" ufip natural series hi-hats and they were lovely, really clean, fast and precise sounding. Perhaps not as funky as the SR's but still great to play. Worth checking out.