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Drums
& Equipment - China CymbalsIn western music, china type
cymbals are cymbals deliberately manufactured to have a "trashy",
offensive, and explosive tone. Their origins can be traced back to the
gong in both sound and shape, and thus they are given their name
'china'.
China type cymbals typically have a bell that is cylindrical or shaped
like a truncated cone with its base the top of the bell, an outer rim
that is turned up in the reverse direction to the main bow of the
cymbal, little or no taper (change in thickness) from bell to rim, and
an area including the inside of the bell that is unpolished. However
some china type cymbals have only some or in some cases none of these
distinguishing characteristics. The distinguishing feature of a china
type cymbal is the one that is hardest to define: Its sound. China
cymbals are those whose sounds are derived from the Chinese, rather than
the Turkish, tradition of cymbal making.
There are two or three tonal families of cymbals: Turkish, Chinese, and
some would say European, although others would include the European
family of tones as a development of the Turkish sounds. The best Turkish
(and European) cymbals have a rich, swelling tone that some describe as
"sweet". To western ears, the best china types have an abrasive, cutting
sound that is described by western drummers as "trashy".
The families do to some extent overlap. Notably, pang and swish cymbals
have some characteristics of china types, and some characteristics of
traditional Turkish cymbals. On the other hand, the Sabian roctagon
cymbals and some Ufip models are considered china types while having
none of the physical characteristics of the normal china type, while the
Paiste crystal crash is considered a European cymbal despite its
squarish bell.
Cymbal making in China is claimed to predate the development of the art
anywhere else in the world. The most universally acclaimed cymbal alloy,
bell bronze, appears to have been independently developed in China.
Today in China a wide range of cymbals are manufactured of both
traditional and imported patterns. Traditional Chinese types with
distinctive names and sounds include chung, jing and water cymbals and
many other types. In Western music these are all referred to as china
type cymbals.
China type cymbals are available in a wide range of sizes from 27" down
to 6", most types singly but some in pairs. Those smaller than 12" are
normally referred to in Western music as china splash cymbals. When used
in a drum kit, they are regarded as effects cymbals and are used to give
colour and variety.
In a drum kit, china type cymbals are sometimes mounted bell up,
similarly to other cymbals, but more often bell down. When mounted bell
down, the upturned rim becomes a downturned rim, allowing a normal stick
technique to be used for both ride and crash patterns. This assumes that
the bell is formed in the typical direction; Some china type cymbals (e.q.
the Paiste 2002 Novo china) have an inverted bell and an upturned rim,
and so must be mounted bell up to achieve this downwards rim
orientation.
If a Turkish pattern cymbal is mounted bell downwards, the rim is
exposed to the stick, and there is a considerable risk of splitting the
cymbal, but it is notable that if mounted in this way despite the risk
(and played gently), many Turkish pattern cymbals will produce a
"trashy" tone of sorts. This trashy tone is generally considered much
inferior to that of a genuine china type cymbal. On the other hand, many
(NB not all) china types can be mounted either way up as desired, as the
relatively thick rim is resistant to splitting, giving yet more tonal
possibilities.
From:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/China_cymbals
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