Over the past dozen years I have had the distinct pleasure of meeting some of the finest drummers, top percussionists of world class orchestras, instructors, and recording artists. I can humbly relate that the most fun I have had as a cymbal maker is not the unknown hours of rhythmically hammering bronze on an anvil in a sweltering barn, so much as it has been getting to befriend and learn from such a distinguished cadre of percussionist professionals. And something that has come up at one time or another with many of these friends is the observation that cymbals get played-in or broken-in. That is, they seem to go through a slow, subtle change.
At first this change happens most noticeably in the first days and weeks after a cymbal is made while the newly hammered and lathed piece of two phase bronze alloy settles. This is why major manufacturers keep their newly manufactured cymbals in storage vaults for a minimum of several months before receiving their final touches and going through quality control then out to dealers around the world. But a cymbal’s next greatest change happens after the gradual accumulation of playing time vibrates the alloy into something truly different. The harsh attack of a new cymbal mellows into smokey, complex instrument. Cymbal Vivo can help move your cymbal to beautiful sonic maturity.
Many believe that the cymbal experiences work-hardening from play. However the tapping of a wooden stick would have a virtually unmeasurable effect compared to the cold, work-hardening that comes from both when the cymbal was hammered and also lathed when it was manufactured. Leaving the biggest change from playing over years of play from the vibration itself, the cymbal ringing out in a way that settles stresses within the cymbal through vibration. Exactly what it known in other areas of metallurgy as Vibratory Stress Relief. Down at the molecular level, there is a degree of alignment taking place.
While for the most part the cymbal industry has little incentive to highlight that when you buy one of their new cymbals that it hasn’t reached its full potential yet, and has long hours of play before it matures into itself, that very reality is common knowledge amongst players and industry professionals.
In the video below, Roberto Spizzichino relates his observation that a cymbal he made that he heard played by Brian Blade years later had noticeably changed.
Legendary cymbal smith Roberto Spizzichino comments on his observations regarding how cymbals change over time.
(Fair use intended, all rights to original owner of video.)
