Question for drummers

[Ian007]

My son has a Pearl drum kit with some Zildjian cymbals.

I was wondering what is the best way to clean the cymbals?
and how important is it to keep them clean?

Thanks Ian

[Daddles]

You beat everything as hard as you can with something very, very hard, like a large ball headed hammer. This won't remove the marks but it'll make the bloody set unplayable. You have my sympathy.

Richard

[Gumby]

They get better with age if you don't clean them.

(My brother is a professional drummer)

[Zed]

brasso.

gumby you have my sympathy.

[Harry72]

Generaly they dont get cleaned unless they are kept permanently in a smokey atmosphere which tends to dull the ring/sustain.
Just hot soapy water, no need for brasso(unless yer fussy) as it may take off that fancy Zildjian signature!

[silentC]

You never clean your cymbals, just like a bikie never washes his jeans!!

Zildjians get better with age. As they build up the patina, they take on a deeper, more mellow tone. Some guys bury their new ones in the garden for a month or two before using them!

[Ian007]

Ok I will leave them alone then.

what about the rest of the drum kit, what's the best way to keep that looking its best?

Cheers Ian

[himzol]

mines in storage now but only ever used furniture polish on it once when I first baught it second hand (Mr sheen), kept it covered with a sheet to stop dust getting on it when not in use.

H.

[journeyman Mick]

........................... Some guys bury their new ones in the garden for a month or two before using them!

And I bet their neighbours wish they'd leave the bloody things buried too!

Mick

[womble]

And I bet their neighbours wish they'd leave the bloody things buried too!

Mick

we've got a beginner somewhere in our neighbourhood...most weekends you can hear this plaintive 'boom-tat-boom-boom-tat...boom-tat-boom-boom-tat' echoing around the valley, with the occasional blood rush to the head resulting in a faster flourish...

[craigb]

we've got a beginner somewhere in our neighbourhood...most weekends you can hear this plaintive 'boom-tat-boom-boom-tat...boom-tat-boom-boom-tat' echoing around the valley, with the occasional blood rush to the head resulting in a faster flourish...

We had one of those too a few years ago. He (at least I assume it was a he) was pretty woeful when he started, lots of boom-tat-boom.

Thing was that after about a year he actually got quite good. Then suddenly it stopped. I often wondered what happened. Maybe he got a gig in a band and got famous or something.

So maybe your drummer will either improve or give up.

[Wongo]

Another question for drummers.

Why do they sometimes cross their arms, hit the cymbal on the left with their right arm and hit the cymbal on the right with their left arm.

Is it because it looks cool or are they not clever enough to figure out it should be the other way around?

I said that because while I was waiting for my lunch in the food court the other day. This boy next table did exactly that with a pair of chopsticks. And he gave me this “I can play drums but you can’t” look.

Oh kids.

[journeyman Mick]

we've got a beginner somewhere in our neighbourhood...most weekends you can hear this plaintive 'boom-tat-boom-boom-tat...boom-tat-boom-boom-tat' echoing around the valley, with the occasional blood rush to the head resulting in a faster flourish...

I lived right next door to a wannabe drummer for about a year. This was right in the Kuranda village. He was a card-carrying, dope-smoking, rastafarian drummer. Still walks around the village with his dreadlocks hanging out of his red, yellow and green tea-cosy beanie and drumsticks in his back pocket. I used to get home from work and he'd be "having a spliff, mon" and I could smell the smoke quite clearly. His lounge was about 5M away from my bedroom window. Then he would spray a puff of air freshener (like that was going to disguise the distinctive aroma of his smoking ) crank up his stereo and play along on his drums. Unfortunately he was always about half a beat behind. (We really need an emoticon with gritted teeth here!) I'd just close my windows and crank up my stereo, or if it really bothered me I'd fire up the chainsaw or brushcutter.

One Sunday afternoon he came home from the markets where he had a stall and cranked up his stereo for a bit of a party with all his market buddies. I was trying to do my accounts as it was end of financial year. I closed my windows and turned on my music but it was just too loud and distracting. After about an hour I cracked.:eek: I cranked up my stereo, then went out and lined up my mower, chainsaws, generator and brushcutter and fired them all up. By the time I'd got them all started and was waving the chainsaw around revving it his little party had emptied out and I could see everybody (him included) getting into their cars and driving off.

Mick

PS He'd been "drumming" for at least 20 years now and he's just not going to get any better, especially not with his brain rotted out from all the dope he smokes.

[silentC]

Why do they sometimes cross their arms, hit the cymbal on the left with their right arm and hit the cymbal on the right with their left arm

If you ever see a drummer doing that, slap him.

What they are doing, my erstwhile friend, is they are playing time on the high hat with their right hand, because in right-handed drummers, that is usually the stronger hand. The high hat is on the left because the right foot is used to play the kick drum.

Some drummers practice leading with both hands so that they can play time equally well with either. They are then able to ride the high hat with their left hand.

Some left handed drummers learn to play the kick with their right foot because it is a hassle to rearrange a kit from left handed to right handed or back. These guys dont cross their arms.

And that kid with the chopsticks? He was right

[Daddles]

Hmm, I am reminded of some advice for roadies - you can tell when the stage is level because the drummer dribbles from both sides of his mouth

Richard