Clash cymbals
Encyclopedia
Clash cymbals or hand cymbals are cymbal
s played in identical pairs by holding one cymbal in each hand and striking the two together.
, is required in an orchestra
l score, then for historical reasons this is often indicated cymbals. Some composers and arrangers use the plural cymbals (or clash cymbals) to indicate clash cymbals, with the singular cymbal to indicate a suspended cymbal.
Composers will often mix crash cymbals and suspended cymbal on the same part. There are a number of techniques used to indicate which is desired. Whenever with stick or with mallet is written, a suspended cymbal is used. A return to clash cymbals can be specified with the Italian
phrase a 2. Russia
n composers developed a notation to differentiate between clash and suspended cymbals in which a + (plus sign) is written over a note to be played on suspended cymbal and a ° (open circle) is written over a note to be played with clash cymbals.
Designers of various sound banks, such as the Garritan Personal Orchestra, distinguish between handheld and suspended cymbals by referring to the former as "Piatti cymbals", having already reserved the term "clash cymbal" for the latter. Since "piatti" is the Italian
term for "cymbal", this may be an awkward, redundant term.
context, the player prepares for the crash by holding the cymbals parallel a few inches apart, with the surfaces vertical, one at waist height and the other some distance above it. They are struck together by bringing the upper cymbal down and the lower up to meet in approximately the middle.
If only a single crash is to be played, the sounding cymbals are then both raised in a follow through and held vertical but no longer parallel, but instead in roughly the same plane with their concave surfaces facing the audience and held head high on either side of the player. This allows the cymbals to resonate freely. Alternatively, if another stroke is to follow, the cymbals are allowed to follow through only until they have reached the same heights as they started (but now vertically reversed), and are then ready in position for the next stroke.
For softer strokes, in preparation the cymbals are held not quite vertically but at a slight angle, but still parallel, and the upper cymbal is then allowed to fall towards the lower. The follow through is reduced or even omitted after softer strokes.
Because clash cymbals can be maneuvered like pom-poms or other handheld devices, cymbalists will often employ various feats of showmanship, such as spinning and flashing, striking cymbals between players, or creating visual designs. Some of these serve a functional purpose—waving cymbals after a grand stroke allows for the clash to resonate more clearly. Others are purely decorative—a cymbal line moving in quick pace during a field show can simulate airplanes or dragons.
Also, there are numerous techniques for playing cymbals, many of them very different from those listed above.
crashes, the cymbals are held vertically, whereas for forte crashes, they are held almost horizontal, with the left cymbal on bottom. The left hand holds one cymbal stationary, while the right hand brings the other cymbal together, with the top (at soft dynamics) or left (at loud dynamics) edge hitting first, followed almost immediately by the other.
Other common techniques are to choke the sounding cymbals by bringing them together and then damping one or both against the body. A skilled player can produce elaborate rhythms by choking the cymbals well, and with fine cymbals can exercise precise control over both the loudness and the decay and apparent duration of each crash.
Less skilled players, children and cartoon characters are often seen playing cymbals by beating them together with a purely horizontal motion. This technique has even been used by some avant-garde
composers, but generally produces poor control of the sound and risks damage to fine cymbals, which are not designed for such usage.
In the orchestra
, clash cymbals are normally matched pairs of clash cymbals. They are commonly found in three weights:
Pairs in all weights range in size from 14" to 22" diameter. The smallest and thickest tend to have the higher pitch, the thinner ones allow for greater expression, and the largest the greatest volume.
Clash cymbals are also used in military, stage and marching bands, percussion ensembles, theatrical performances, and in state and religious ceremonies. These range in size from those of orchestral cymbals all the way down to about 5" in diameter.
Toy clash cymbals and some others have wooden or plastic handles instead. China type
clash cymbals need no handles as the squared bells can be held quite securely without them, and are often joined by a cord through the holes in their bells which allows the player to release the bells after striking producing less damping and greater sustain, and to swing the cymbals producing doppler effect
s.
Cymbal
Cymbals are a common percussion instrument. Cymbals consist of thin, normally round plates of various alloys; see cymbal making for a discussion of their manufacture. The greater majority of cymbals are of indefinite pitch, although small disc-shaped cymbals based on ancient designs sound a...
s played in identical pairs by holding one cymbal in each hand and striking the two together.
Terminology
The technical term clash cymbal is rarely used. In musical scores, clash cymbals are normally indicated as cymbals or sometimes simply C.C. If another type of cymbal, for example a suspended cymbalSuspended cymbal
right|thumb|Classical suspended cymbalA suspended cymbal is any single cymbal played with a stick or beater rather than struck against another cymbal. A common abbreviation used is sus. cym., or sus. cymb. .-History:...
, is required in an orchestra
Orchestra
An orchestra is a sizable instrumental ensemble that contains sections of string, brass, woodwind, and percussion instruments. The term orchestra derives from the Greek ορχήστρα, the name for the area in front of an ancient Greek stage reserved for the Greek chorus...
l score, then for historical reasons this is often indicated cymbals. Some composers and arrangers use the plural cymbals (or clash cymbals) to indicate clash cymbals, with the singular cymbal to indicate a suspended cymbal.
Composers will often mix crash cymbals and suspended cymbal on the same part. There are a number of techniques used to indicate which is desired. Whenever with stick or with mallet is written, a suspended cymbal is used. A return to clash cymbals can be specified with the Italian
Italian language
Italian is a Romance language spoken mainly in Europe: Italy, Switzerland, San Marino, Vatican City, by minorities in Malta, Monaco, Croatia, Slovenia, France, Libya, Eritrea, and Somalia, and by immigrant communities in the Americas and Australia...
phrase a 2. Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
n composers developed a notation to differentiate between clash and suspended cymbals in which a + (plus sign) is written over a note to be played on suspended cymbal and a ° (open circle) is written over a note to be played with clash cymbals.
Designers of various sound banks, such as the Garritan Personal Orchestra, distinguish between handheld and suspended cymbals by referring to the former as "Piatti cymbals", having already reserved the term "clash cymbal" for the latter. Since "piatti" is the Italian
Italian language
Italian is a Romance language spoken mainly in Europe: Italy, Switzerland, San Marino, Vatican City, by minorities in Malta, Monaco, Croatia, Slovenia, France, Libya, Eritrea, and Somalia, and by immigrant communities in the Americas and Australia...
term for "cymbal", this may be an awkward, redundant term.
Marching Bands
Clash cymbals are conventionally played by a standing player. In a marching bandMarching band
Marching band is a physical activity in which a group of instrumental musicians generally perform outdoors and incorporate some type of marching with their musical performance. Instrumentation typically includes brass, woodwinds, and percussion instruments...
context, the player prepares for the crash by holding the cymbals parallel a few inches apart, with the surfaces vertical, one at waist height and the other some distance above it. They are struck together by bringing the upper cymbal down and the lower up to meet in approximately the middle.
If only a single crash is to be played, the sounding cymbals are then both raised in a follow through and held vertical but no longer parallel, but instead in roughly the same plane with their concave surfaces facing the audience and held head high on either side of the player. This allows the cymbals to resonate freely. Alternatively, if another stroke is to follow, the cymbals are allowed to follow through only until they have reached the same heights as they started (but now vertically reversed), and are then ready in position for the next stroke.
For softer strokes, in preparation the cymbals are held not quite vertically but at a slight angle, but still parallel, and the upper cymbal is then allowed to fall towards the lower. The follow through is reduced or even omitted after softer strokes.
Because clash cymbals can be maneuvered like pom-poms or other handheld devices, cymbalists will often employ various feats of showmanship, such as spinning and flashing, striking cymbals between players, or creating visual designs. Some of these serve a functional purpose—waving cymbals after a grand stroke allows for the clash to resonate more clearly. Others are purely decorative—a cymbal line moving in quick pace during a field show can simulate airplanes or dragons.
Also, there are numerous techniques for playing cymbals, many of them very different from those listed above.
Orchestras and Wind Bands
In an orchestral or wind band context, the cymbals are held parallel a few inches apart at chest height. For pianoDynamics (music)
In music, dynamics normally refers to the volume of a sound or note, but can also refer to every aspect of the execution of a given piece, either stylistic or functional . The term is also applied to the written or printed musical notation used to indicate dynamics...
crashes, the cymbals are held vertically, whereas for forte crashes, they are held almost horizontal, with the left cymbal on bottom. The left hand holds one cymbal stationary, while the right hand brings the other cymbal together, with the top (at soft dynamics) or left (at loud dynamics) edge hitting first, followed almost immediately by the other.
Other common techniques are to choke the sounding cymbals by bringing them together and then damping one or both against the body. A skilled player can produce elaborate rhythms by choking the cymbals well, and with fine cymbals can exercise precise control over both the loudness and the decay and apparent duration of each crash.
Less skilled players, children and cartoon characters are often seen playing cymbals by beating them together with a purely horizontal motion. This technique has even been used by some avant-garde
Avant-garde
Avant-garde means "advance guard" or "vanguard". The adjective form is used in English to refer to people or works that are experimental or innovative, particularly with respect to art, culture, and politics....
composers, but generally produces poor control of the sound and risks damage to fine cymbals, which are not designed for such usage.
Weights, tones and sizes
Orchestra
An orchestra is a sizable instrumental ensemble that contains sections of string, brass, woodwind, and percussion instruments. The term orchestra derives from the Greek ορχήστρα, the name for the area in front of an ancient Greek stage reserved for the Greek chorus...
, clash cymbals are normally matched pairs of clash cymbals. They are commonly found in three weights:
- Francese, French, leggero or light, the lightest and thinnest.
- Viennese, medio or medium.
- Germanic, German, Wagnerian, pesante or heavy, the heaviest and thickest.
Pairs in all weights range in size from 14" to 22" diameter. The smallest and thickest tend to have the higher pitch, the thinner ones allow for greater expression, and the largest the greatest volume.
Clash cymbals are also used in military, stage and marching bands, percussion ensembles, theatrical performances, and in state and religious ceremonies. These range in size from those of orchestral cymbals all the way down to about 5" in diameter.
Straps and alternatives
Orchestral clash cymbals and most band cymbals have leather straps passed through the holes in their bells, leading to four tails which are knotted inside the bell, to allow the player to hold them. Marching bands in addition use leather pads between the outsides of the bells and the player's hands.China cymbal
thumb|right|China type cymbals from three continentsIn western music, china type cymbals are cymbals manufactured to produce a dark, crisp, trashy, and explosive tone...
clash cymbals need no handles as the squared bells can be held quite securely without them, and are often joined by a cord through the holes in their bells which allows the player to release the bells after striking producing less damping and greater sustain, and to swing the cymbals producing doppler effect
Doppler effect
The Doppler effect , named after Austrian physicist Christian Doppler who proposed it in 1842 in Prague, is the change in frequency of a wave for an observer moving relative to the source of the wave. It is commonly heard when a vehicle sounding a siren or horn approaches, passes, and recedes from...
s.