Paiste Innovations

Innovations

Introduction: 2001
Discontinued: 2005
Background: Professional class cymbals with advanced sound character, applied new manufacturing methods, which bring out rich, intricate harmonics in a cymbal to create full, complex sound.
Innovation: Successfully combined traditional hand crafting skills with modern automated manufacturing to create true professional sound and unbeatable value. "Sonic Texture Formula" - a combination of limited mechanical pre-shaping with hand hammering and hand lathing. (1)
At the beginning of the 21st century, Paiste released a new line of cymbals, the Innovations, they were presented for the first time in at the 2001 NAMM show.
Made of CuSn8 bronze, the line was intended to cater to the new, fresh, raw, urban, “industrial” sounds; they wanted to respond to the needs of drummers who were confronted with sampled sounds, rich in high frequencies and with short decay.
That achievement was reached using a new processing technique, the Sonic Texture Formula.
Alloy: CuSn8 (Also known as "2002 Bronze")
Quality: Professional
Production: Manual craftsmanship & limited automated manufacture, mechanical pre-shaping, hand hammering, hand lathing. "Sonic Texture Formula" - a combination of limited mechanical pre-shaping with hand hammering and hand lathing. 1
Applications: All volume settings, live & recording, entire range of music styles
Users: Working musicians, enthusiasts, players who desire modern, versatile cymbals that combine energy and cutting power with complex character and traditional feeling. Players such as Russ Kunkel (Crosby, Stills & Nash) & Matt Byrne (Hatebreed) to name a few.
Target Group: working musicians, enthusiasts who desire modern, versatile cymbals that combine energy and cutting power with complex character and traditional feeling (2)
Sound: Multiple and complementary sound personalities, rich combination of bright, energetic attack and complex, warm, dark sustain. Full, sparkling overtones are paired with complex mid-section and dark feeling undertones. Refined, responsive feel and controllable, versatile dynamics.
Logo: Modern, elegant black silk screening featuring Paiste ‘Calligraphy’ logo (2)
Press Release Statement (January 2001): Paiste announces the invention of a cymbal crafting process, which brings out rich, intricate harmonics in cymbals to create full, complex sound. The European Patent Office has granted ‘Patent Pending’ status for the process, which involves intricate manual proprietary methods to achieve an overall sound enhancing effect. The most obvious manifestation of what the company calls ‘Sonic Texture Formula’ is an innovative, radiant surface look. According to Erik Paiste, “the ‘Sonic Texture Formula’ can be used on any alloy and quality class and will eventually be used in our entire range of products, wherever appropriate. The most logical first step was to create cymbals with advanced sound character and professional quality at an attractive price point. We have done this with the introduction of the ‘Innovations’ series.” “The overall sound feeling of the new ‘Innovations’ is characterized by multiple and complementary sound personalities. It features a rich combination of bright, energetic attack and complex, warm, dark sustain. Full, sparkling overtones are paired with a complex mid-section and dark feeling undertones. A refined sound, responsive feel and controllable, versatile dynamics are the hallmarks of these incredible new cymbals,” he concludes.

Rides

• Heavy Ride - 20" 21"
  
• Medium Ride - 20"
  

Crashes

• Crash/Ride - 18"
  
• Thin Crash - 14" 16" 18"
  
• Medium Crash - 16" 17" 18"
  
• Heavy Crash - 16" 18" 19"
  
• Short Crash - 16"
  

Hi-Hats

• Heavy Hi-Hat - 14"
  
• Medium Hi-Hat - 14"
  

Chinas (& Swishes)

• Medium China - 16" 18" 20"
  

Splashes (& Bells)

• Splash - 10" 11"
  
  

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Information from:

1. Paiste Innovations Series Cymbals Modern Drummer, September 2001, pg. 59
2. January 2001 Press Release (Paiste.com)
   
   

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• Special thanks to Chris Roberts for providing his "family" Innovations picture.