Drums
& Equipment - Cymbals - Suspended Cymbals
A suspended cymbal is any single cymbal played with a
stick or beater rather than struck against another cymbal.
History
The term comes from the modern orchestra, in which the term cymbals
normally refers to a pair of clash cymbals. The first suspended cymbals
used in the modern orchestra were one of a pair of orchestral cymbals,
supported by hanging it bell upwards by its strap. This technique is
still used, at times, but has largely been replaced by specialised
cymbals with larger mounting holes that can be mounted on a cymbal
stand.
Occasionally the term suspended cymbal is still used in the original
sense of one of a pair of orchestral cymbals hung by its strap, and this
is the usage in older scores and may be the wish of modern conductors in
playing them. It is essential to check this before committing to a
particular technique.
On the other hand, some orchestras now forbid use of cymbals in this
way. Thin cymbals are particularly liable to damage if played
energetically with a beater.
Technique
In an orchestral setting, suspended cymbals are most often used for
rolled crescendos, or swells. To do this, the player uses a
single-stroke roll on the outside edge of the cymbal, using soft
mallets, one on each side. At times, a score also calls for hitting the
cymbal with a stick or scraping it with a triangle beater.
Other uses
In a drum kit, nearly all the cymbals used are suspended cymbals in the
broadest sense, the main exceptions being pairs of hi-hat cymbals.
From:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suspended_cymbal
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