• Categories: Hardware and Gear

You Should Never Break A Cymbal

Most long term professionals rarely if ever break cymbals is correct (pretty quick google will tell you it's not unheard of. Buddy Rich for example was pretty bad for it apparently), but I think a variety of things factor into this.Every older Zildjian I've ever seen has been thick as hell, so thick they're borderline unbreakable, so that cymbal lasting is pretty easily explained if you ask me.

It is very rare for a cymbal to break when used correctly. If you find that you are breaking cymbals often, the problem is usually related to misapplication, positioning, or striking technique.

Great advice for beginner drummers on how to preserve your cymbals while still getting the sound you want out of them. This is great advice for any drummer, but especially one who doesn’t have $1200+ to spend gradually replacing every cymbal on their kit as they slowly break each one in turn.What angle are your cymbals sitting at on the stands? They need to be tilted towards you at least 20 degrees or so to prevent putting so much stress into the cymbal when you hit the edge of it. It also allows you to pull a greater variety of sound from the cymbal since it presents you with different ways to hit it other than right on the edge.

Another way to achieve this is to keep the cymbals as low as possible. You don't have to reach so far when you play them and can keep them at a more level position, of that's your thing. The reason for the breakage depends on where the cymbal is breaking. If it is cracking around the bell, then the wing nut is too tight.

If the crack is at the edge, then your probably striking them incorrectly. A cymbal should not be struck with the stick at a 90 degree angle on the edge. If your sticks are getting chewed up, this is probably the problem.

In my personal experience, crash cymbals are far and away the most likely to crack if you don’t play them correctly. This is because they are the most heavily used cymbals on a standard kit and move around enough that cracks can form over time.

Another factor breaking down longevity is cymbal thickness and quality of materials. In case you don’t know cheap cymbals are generally stamped down from sheets of metal, then hammered to give it a certain tone.

What separates cheap and expensive cymbals is expensive ones are hammered down and ‘cast’ in all directions which give it a more complex sound and better durability. Don’t get me wrong expensive cymbals will crack as well, but your give yourself good odds of lasting a long time if you invest in proper cymbals and play them correctly.