I’ve been playing drums for a long time but only recently have I started to experiment more with trying to make an acoustic drum kit sound more like an electronic one. One of the essential pieces needed to accomplish said task was the search and discovery of a high pitch, quick decay hi hat. I’d tried a few different brands so far, but the Zildjian A Custom caught my attention after stumbling upon a pair by chance at a recording studio during the drum sessions for my band’s up coming album.
Although not having purchased them yet, these Zildjian hats are currently priced around $315. Their price can vary a few bucks more or less depending the retail outlet.
The Zildjian A Custom quickly fulfilled my need for finding a great electronic-sounding hi hat. High and tight attack, bright and crisp and very short sustain. Just exactly I was looking for. These hats also fit well in a variety of music genres such as funk, RnB and jazz.
Because of its construction characteristics, heavy-hitter drummers might want to avoid this one since they are somewhat fragile compared to their bigger diameter cousins.
The Zildjian A Custom apparently was developed under the supervision of Viennie Colaiuta. If you are a Zappa fan you probably just got a bit more excited. Like the A Customs, these cymbals have great construction and sonically quality. I’ve been playing with A Custom crashes for awhile now but unfortunately they never seem to last more than a year after I purchase them, they sound great but they are indeed somewhat fragile.
Those looking for light, high, crisp and short hi hat sound will need to search no further. These hats produce a very defined stick when closed and a very gentle sizzle when played open. Recommended to Jazz and electronic musicians alike.
