The Difference Between Hi-Hats and Cymbals

Hi-hat cymbals sound different than other cymbals, always come as a set mounted on top of one another, and commonly come in only a few sizes, as compared to other cymbals which come in many sizes and tonal variations and rarely are mounted in contact with another cymbal.

A hi-hat consists of a pair of cymbals on top of each other, one upsidedown, to form a clamshell shape. It is usually a 14-inch pair of cymbals, but other sizes are available. Hi-hat cymbals are generally thicker and heavier than other cymbals.

The hi-hat cymbals are held in place by a special stand which enables the top cymbal to separate upward from the bottom cymbal. There is usually a foot pedal built into the hi-hat stand. This allows the foot pedal to raise and lower the top cymbal. When the pedal is pressed, it lowers the top cymbal so that it closes against the bottom cymbal and produces a sound. We describe this sound as a "chick" sound.

Tip: In drumming we sometimes verbalize drum sounds to communicate rhythms. We try to represent drum sounds in a way that sounds representative of the drum or cymbal, similar to beatboxing. An example of this practice would be verbalizing We Will Rock You by Queen as "boom boom chah!"

Some hi-hat stands do not have a pedal and are known as fixed hi-hats. Because hi-hat cymbals can be positioned together or apart or anywhere in between using the foot pedal (or other mechanisms for fixed hi-hats), it allows a range of tonal characteristics when struck with drumsticks.

The most common way for hi-hats to be played is by striking with drumsticks while in a closed position, with the pedal being used to control how tightly or loosely the two cymbals are held together. The further apart the cymbals are, the greater the sustain, and when they are completely apart, not touching at all, the top cymbal will sound the most like a regular cymbal. The bottom cymbal is rarely struck separately from the top cymbal, but it would also sound similar to a regular cymbal if struck individually.

The most common position of hi-hat cymbals is in the closed position (the pedal is down and the cymbals are in contact with each other, as opposed to apart from each other). This produces a short, non-sustaining tone, which can be described as a "chick" sound. But the sound will vary depending how tightly the hi-hat cymbals are being held together using the foot pedal. If they are pressed tightly together, the stick strike will be very short, lasting only a few milliseconds. And if they are held loosely together, so they are barely touching, the stick strike will produce a sizzle or rattle sound which can sustain for several seconds.

A regular cymbal is a single cymbal, rather than a pair, and comes in many more sizes and shape profiles than hi-hats, from about 6-inches to 26-inches, and possess a much greater variety of tonal characteristics. Regular cymbals do not have a foot pedal, but are mounted on a fixed stand. Some special effects cymbals are mounted on top of each other and can sound very similar to a hi-hat.

Hi-hats and cymbals can be used for some of the same functions, such as playing the repeated steady rhythms typically used for keeping time and playing beats.

A standard set of cymbals for a drum set is comprised of one each of the following. The most common sizes (diameters) are also show.

• ride cymbal 20 inch
• crash cymbal 16 inch
• hi-hat (pair of cymbals) 14 inch