Cymbal

What it means

Cymbal is the English designation for the Becken (German), a self-sounding percussion instrument made of a metal disc with an arched centre. In the plural, cymbals, the term usually means the pair of cymbals that are struck against each other; a single, suspended cymbal is called a suspended cymbal. Cymbals have no definite pitch but produce a dense sound of many partials that are not harmonically ordered, ranging, depending on size, thickness, and striking point, from a bright hiss to a broad wash. The term is not to be confused with the Hungarian cimbalom, a stringed instrument.

In the notation

Cymbals stand in a percussion line, often on a line of their own, with indications of manner of playing and mallet: with timpani mallet, with stick, bowed, rolled, or struck as a pair. A tie with laissez vibrer lets the sound ring out, a damping sign or the word choke cuts it off.

Musical use

In the orchestra, cymbal crashes mark climaxes and caesuras, but the field of application is far wider: a soft roll with soft mallets on a suspended cymbal produces a swelling out of nothing that carries whole build-ups. In military and wind music the pair belongs to the fixed instrumentation; in the drum-kit writing of popular music, different types of cymbal take on basic rhythmic functions. Because the sound rings on for a long time, the question of damping is always composed in as well.

Performance practice

Do not strike the suspended cymbal vertically on the surface but at an angle toward the edge, so that it can swing out freely. With the pair, the cymbals brush past each other instead of meeting flat — otherwise an air cushion forms and the sound stays dull. After the stroke the cymbals are raised so that the sound unfolds, and pressed against the body for damping. Choose mallet and striking point deliberately; both change the sound more than the volume. Do not touch the surface of the cymbal with the fingers, and store the instruments hanging or with a separating layer.

Bear in mind that cymbals sound very different and that the choice of instrument is part of the interpretation: thin cymbals respond quickly and sound bright, heavy ones need longer and carry farther. For orchestral duty, keep several pairs and suspended cymbals of different sizes ready. With rolls using timpani mallets, take care to hit opposite spots so that the sound swells evenly. Check the suspension for felt and washers, because metal contact spoils the sound and damages the cymbal.