Words and Sounds

Glossary of Commonly Used Terms

There are several terms often used to describe a cymbal. Find below several of the most used ones. (This is a work in progress)

• ATTACK -The response rate of the cymbal. Some models are faster (more attack) than others.

• BRIGHT - Sounds that are high-pitched; they offer increased cut.

• CUT - The ability of the sound - usually high-pitched or loud - to cut through the surrounding music.

• DARK - Low-pitched, warm tones that combine for a 'dark' response that blends into surrounding music. HH models, including the Dark Crash, feature dark, traditional tones.

• DEFINITION - The amount of response given in response to being hit with the stick's tip. A cymbal will seem to have less definition if there are lots of overtones. (generally a thin cymbal). Generally a cymbal gets more definition the heavier it gets, due to the weight creating less overtones. "Stick Definition" is a synonym.

The shorthand way to refer to a bronze alloy is the amount of tin is mixed in with the main metal ingredient, copper. So B8 is 8% tin to 92% copper, and B20 is 20% tin to 80% copper. Note that the proportion of tin can vary up or down a bit from the ideal ratio and the alloy still meets the specification. According to Paul Francis the acceptable range of tin for a B20 alloy is 18.5% tin to 21.5% tin. B23 seems different enough to earn a different name. Maybe B25 deserves a different name as well. We will have a close look within the separate alloy sections.

The Brass and Nickel-Silver alloys do not fit into this shorthand naming Bxx for bronze because they don't use tin.

The easiest way to determine the alloy of an unknown cymbal is visually. Yes different alloys vary in color, L to R Tin % 8, 8, 10, 20

However, the colour may be difficult to judge in photographs. This is especially true if it is just one cymbal and the photo is taken under unknown lighting conditions. It is recommended that when trying to identify a cymbal that it be done in person. Comparing to a cymbal of a known alloy is helpful if one is not familiar with the hues of the different alloys. Here are a few examples of the ways in which colours can present differently for cymbals made from the same alloy. Cleaning changes the color as well.

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  B8 pair with different colors

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  Two ads same B15 cymbals

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  Cleaning changes color

Results from laboratory tests are more reliable and informative then color, but harder to come by.

B20 Alloy

B20 (CuSn20) tends to have a silver or white colour hue. It is more pale than either the B15 and B8 alloys. The copper in the alloy will oxidize when exposed to the three necessary ingredients: moisture, salts, and oxygen. Patina is viewed as a good thing or a bad thing by different owners. A more extreme from of oxidation called Bronze Disease is not so welcome, but seldom seen on cymbals.

Examples of B20 cymbals: A Zildjian, K Zildjian, Sabian, Paiste, Meinl, et al. Not all series, but most manufacturers have B20 offerings.

Test results on bronze cymbals: There are 24 tests on bronze cymbals which fall into the expected range for tin from 18.5% tin 21.5%. A further 7 cymbals came out with tin in the range 21.5% to 21.94% (so a little high). A further 4 cymbals were at the 22% tin level, and one Zildjian A Custom came in at 17.53% which is an anomalous low reading. Setting aside the one A Custom reading most of the Turkish / American alloys are testing out right around 20% Tin as expected (average 20.4%). Most Chinese cymbals (Stagg, Meinl Dragon) come in at 21% - 22% so a little above the other source countries represented (American, Swiss, Canada, Turkey)

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  microstructure of A Zidljian (mid 50s block stamp)

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  microstructure of A Zidljian (early 50s trans stamp)

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  microstructure of A Zidljian (modern)

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  microstructure of Paiste Formula 602 (early 70s)

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  microstructure of Istanbul Mehmet (modern) B21