Use a weed burner/roofing torch to heat it red hot and quench it in water. It'll anneal(soften) the B8 alloy and allow you to hammer it out further. I have been reworking cymbals for almost a decade. I recently hammered out a Sabian B8 20" ride into a 22" dark/dry jazz ride that sounds amazing.
@@Kane-yg5zy I don't have video of the process... I suppose I can make one on the next B8 cymbal I do. I do have pics and sound recordings of several cymbals I rehammered. I've been a drummer for 38 years a machinist for 15 and a bladesmith for almost 20yrs. I have the equipment... like anything else, it just takes practice.
@@blooddisorder lol... I'll try next time. I don't normally video myself working. I have a shop security camera always recording but you can't see anything, really.
You are one of the only people that keeps their comparison clips short enough and close enough together that you can actually A/B the sounds effectively. Some people play these long sections and by the time the second one finishes I can't remember what the first even sounded like.
I am amazed at how much better it sounds, I had no idea hammering could make such a cheap cymbal sound good. I have a friend who uses a metal grinder to thin out heavy cymbals to sound more jazzy, but hammering is awesome too
Hey, well thanks so much for stopping in, regardless of the slow notification system!😂Really glad you're liking the new videos. And i'm excited to make more!
Will definitely be posting more cymbal mod videos like this. They are so much fun to make. And also thank you! I agree, it definitely has a more jazzy sound now, which I love to hear in a cymbal.
I just stumbled across this. Wow. What a positive change. I've got to try this with some small B8's I have that not currently using to get a trash crash. I knew hammering affected the sound, but hearing before and after is pretty eye opening. Thanks man.
Did you know? If the top companies use machines to do the hammering, the cheap ones cost almost the same as the expensive ones to pay. The markup consists of marketing cost mostly, so thank your favourite endorser!
Have you ever experimented with adding holes to a cymbal? For example, just a few holes about an inch outside the bell, in the way the Sabian FRX cymbals have holes (but not nearly as many). This would show how possible it is to disconnect the bell sound from the bow sound.
@@bassplate I haven’t yet! But I will definitely get into it at some point. Would love try drilling holes in a bunch of different spots and see how it sounds!
It's funny, during the Cymbal-only demo, I thought it sounded best unmodded. As soon as you started playing a beat, it suddenly made sense, and I realised the modded sound was much more pleasant.
Bro, this is awesome. Great job by the way. Have you ever thought on doing a video hammering a cymbal but from the inside to the outside and see the difference gradually?
Thanks so much! And you know, I haven't tried that specifically yet, but i'm down to give it a go. The closest i've come to that is in my first video, where I just hammered a 2 inch ring around the bell on my Pearl 16" Crash Cymbal.
Cool video. I've seen a couple of these; my suggestion would be to invest a little in better audio recording gear. Seems like you're just using whatever mic is on the camera, and the sound is incredibly compressed. It makes for some deception in the sound - like, for example, the sustain of the original ride sound. Yes, it goes on, but the compression gives a false picture of its volume over the length of that sustain. And I'd love to hear the finished ride without that compression. The audio picture would be more accurate and realistic. But again, these videos are cool, I enjoy watching.
Honestly I’ll probably try it soon! I’m especially curious about the 22 inch. HCS Ride. It’s one of the few beginner cymbals out there that is over 20 inches.
@SynthRay if it's not too much to ask, i would love to see the result! I subscribed! Also, you do some sick drumming, i forgot to mention in my first comment!
Certainly! And thanks so much for subscribing! Got a video featuring a Brass Zildjian Planet Z ride coming soon. But I'll add Meinl to the list as well. 👍
You have to try the cymbal again! Metals need a resting period for their sound to fully sink in after their hammering. generally a day after you'll hear a pretty considerable difference, and potentially even a week after.
Hey, man. I have beginner question. Do I need a ball headed hammer? Or my flat head one will do? I love your content and I really want to try this out on a cymbal I want to make trashier. Thank you!
You know, I personally haven't tried any other hammers aside from ball type. But I know professionals like Timothy Roberts sometimes use flat hammers. However those might be for a different part of the process. I'd say give the ball hammer a shot first. As they create smaller dents, which allows for more gradual change overtime. That way you can more finely tune the sound you want! Also, I'm so glad you're continuing to enjoy the videos! And wish you luck with your first DIY cymbal project. Cheers 🍻
Hey man, this was a fun video. Might have to try hammering on some of my own old cymbals! How are you doing those drum n bass breaks, do you have that written down/notated somewhere I could grab a copy and try to learn?
Hey thanks so much! Really glad you liked the video. And yes if you have some cheap cymbals lying around. Give it a shot! The results are almost always cool. As for the Drum n' Bass breaks. Unfortunately I do not have it written down anywhere. I play mainly by ear, and to be honest, wouldn't know how to write them down. 😂 I apologize for that.
Also take one of those 60 dollar big glarry marching snare and turn it into a floor tom that you can put the snare wire back on if wanted or left off with the snare wire thingy idk what its called lol
The Cuban sounded decent. Thing about b8s is that it’s old type. And still have a lot of grooves or waves to be shaved down. Overall not bad for a B8 compared to B20
Remember when shorter TH-cam videos were the norm? And then they added the mechanic to get you more ad revenue when you exceed 10 minutes. From there we got bloated content most of the time. Thanks for not being one of them.
I've been wondering how hammering would change the sound of sabian b8s, really cool results. Also it'd be cool if you experimented with heating b8 cymbals :)
B8’s have a tendency to sound cheap. This hammering seems drier, slightly less volume, yet crisper in sound. I am about to try hand hammering 3 different splash cymbals, 10in. In size, yet in better quality. I will use a Paiste Signature, or a Paiste Twenty, a Sabian Legacy, or another Sabian in quality, and finally a gorgeous UFIP splash from the 1950’s. I will be using a variety of scripted hammers used in Silver-smithing, so the designs of hammer strike will ultimately be varied in origin.
Definitely true for cymbals made with B20 Bronze. I believe B8 bronze is softer though, so I'm not entirely sure if the same rules apply. It sounds exactly the same to me now, as the day I worked on it. Great question though!
You turned it into a cymbal that has a very specific sound. It definitely works for the amen break style drum and bass stuff you were playing as an example but both the before and after sound pretty crappy for any other style of music
Yeah I'm probably biased towards a specific sound profile. Been hammering all of my cymbals a very similar way. Would love to test some different hammer sizes and hammering patterns in future videos. Maybe even try my hand at lathing to take some of that excess weight off. Thanks for watching and subscribing by the way!
Based on the small amount of experience I have with the previous 2 cymbals. It seems that when you go past a certain point, the undertones and overtones become even more diminished, getting washed out by "white noise" type frequencies. (Kind of like a china cymbal) And less decay, meaning the sound dies out very quickly after being hit. The results can vary quite a bit though. I would love to try out some different sized hammers to see if that makes a difference in tone.
It's basically a crash but with a more accented bell after hammering to my ears. I prefer a ride that's more disinct from a crash and I feel the hammering had the opposite effect.
Bro, if you use a nylon tip stick on that ride it will be perfect!!! You made it dry, with less sustain, which I like in a ride. I want ping definition that doesn't ring on forever, and I think you accomplished that!!! Nylon tip stick is your answer!!!!
@SynthRay Ya nylon tips give you so much more articulation on while playing the top of the hi hats. Also you get the ping on the ride and bell Everytime! Wooden tips get flat spots, dents and chips. Plus the adhesive that holds the tips on so much stronger. So then less tips breaking, and once the wooden tip starts to damage, if it doesn't break off and starts to crack it will run right down the shaft of the stick. I know it's a personal preference which tips they rather? But like you said, you never even tried them? Do you don't know what your missing? Plus nylon tips rebound of your hats and ride way better while playing patterns. Try them you'll see the improvement.
I do agree, this one had high starting point for sound quality. I was expecting it to sound worse initially. Especially considering how thick it is. Which low end series would you like to see me modify next? Curious what you have in mind.
That sucks, not your fault, but heavier cymbals especially b8 or brass when thicker sound awful no matter what, I have a 20 inch zildjan planet z and I hammered it down and patina'd it and it sounds like a meinl byzance traditional somehow lol. The thinner the better. Tried it with the crash to make a Hi hat top and it sounds even better than my dream hi hat.
Now I'm gonna have to get into lathing. Haha. Gotta shave some weight off of it. Would love to take it from 2400 grams down to 1900. Would make it more washy for sure. Also, sounds like I might need to get my hands on a Zildjian planet Z! Would be fun for a future video.
Nonsense. Some of the best cymbals have been made from B8. Ever play a Giant Beat? Just because some youtuber with a hammer can't make an already cheaply made cymbal sound good, doesn't mean a real craftsperson can't use B8 to make something special. The material matters much less that the care, knowledge, and skill that goes into making something. Today's obsession with cymbal and drum materials comes from successful marketing. In the past nobody cared. They only cared about whether the instrument sounded good for the music
I feel like now you have a gong unless you hit the bell, then it sounds like a ride again. The original sounded actually really nice Makes me confident to buy a cheap ride! Just got the $200 SJC galaxy pathfinder Floor Tom! I love that series, but I wanted a nice ping so I got the Mapex Side Snare and just a cheap Wuhan hat. But don’t knock Wuhan they got the right tone!
I love how you go straight to the point on this video. Some other videos take 30 mins of our time just to demonstrate the same thing.
the bell sound really good after hammering
Use a weed burner/roofing torch to heat it red hot and quench it in water. It'll anneal(soften) the B8 alloy and allow you to hammer it out further. I have been reworking cymbals for almost a decade. I recently hammered out a Sabian B8 20" ride into a 22" dark/dry jazz ride that sounds amazing.
Post a video or it never happened. 😂
Yeah definitely. If you really did that, there is no way you didnt film it.
Id like to see that to learn how.
Thanks!
@@blooddisorderYes lol
@@Kane-yg5zy I don't have video of the process... I suppose I can make one on the next B8 cymbal I do. I do have pics and sound recordings of several cymbals I rehammered. I've been a drummer for 38 years a machinist for 15 and a bladesmith for almost 20yrs. I have the equipment... like anything else, it just takes practice.
@@blooddisorder lol... I'll try next time. I don't normally video myself working. I have a shop security camera always recording but you can't see anything, really.
I LOVE that this video is short and to the point but highly thorough.
dude thats amazing. from a cheap mid sound to an epic dry dark sound with an amazing bell. love these videos keep it up
I guess a cheap cymbal is like a cheap guitar. If you want it to play right you gotta put in the work that they didn't so it could be cheap.
You are one of the only people that keeps their comparison clips short enough and close enough together that you can actually A/B the sounds effectively. Some people play these long sections and by the time the second one finishes I can't remember what the first even sounded like.
That sounds reminds me of my first 10 years playing drums… I always hated the sound of my B8 set but thankful that I had something to play with.
Absolutely loved my sabian B8s . Had them all aroind the kit.
They sounded absolutely amazing in the recording studio as well.
the sound went from entry level to high end imo. amazing work! i especially love that bell sound
I liked the final results a lot. Bell came alive so nice. Thank you!
Cinematography is crazy good brother
Thanks so much! It means alot! And truly glad you enjoyed the new video! Cheers 🍻
Full hammered crash sound is so much better. Nice vid.
Much better after hammering imo, great job and nice editing!
I think it sounds way better! Good job!
I am amazed at how much better it sounds, I had no idea hammering could make such a cheap cymbal sound good. I have a friend who uses a metal grinder to thin out heavy cymbals to sound more jazzy, but hammering is awesome too
Wonderful transformation, added so much sonic value to that ride
Finally youtube notified me I didnt know you even uploaded great videos as always can wait for the next upload
Hey, well thanks so much for stopping in, regardless of the slow notification system!😂Really glad you're liking the new videos. And i'm excited to make more!
Very cool, personally I like the half-hammered sound the most, cool to see this!
Very nice video! Hope to see more like this one!
The sound we all want in a ride. what a transformation
I must admit this really worked well. :)
I would love to see you do more of these videos, this would be a great jazz ride, especially that bell sounds good!
Will definitely be posting more cymbal mod videos like this. They are so much fun to make. And also thank you! I agree, it definitely has a more jazzy sound now, which I love to hear in a cymbal.
I just stumbled across this. Wow. What a positive change. I've got to try this with some small B8's I have that not currently using to get a trash crash. I knew hammering affected the sound, but hearing before and after is pretty eye opening. Thanks man.
Cool video! Thank you for sharing
Cool!
the hammered version sounds great man!
And suddenly the prices of old B8's and ZBT's just skyrocket on eBay and Reverb. That turned out surprisingly well!
Theyve already been way too high for years. B8s anyway. Zbt is garbage.
The results are amazing!!!
Did you know? If the top companies use machines to do the hammering, the cheap ones cost almost the same as the expensive ones to pay. The markup consists of marketing cost mostly, so thank your favourite endorser!
This is amazing! I will definitely try it!
Great job sir
I didn't know cymbals were hand hammered until this video
My Paiste cymbals are all hand hammered.
Juicy drumming. That half hammered sounded pretty decent
sounds like a million bucks! 🔥
I used to use one of those as a crash cymbal. I loved it
sounds way better after the treatment!
Have you ever experimented with adding holes to a cymbal? For example, just a few holes about an inch outside the bell, in the way the Sabian FRX cymbals have holes (but not nearly as many). This would show how possible it is to disconnect the bell sound from the bow sound.
@@bassplate I haven’t yet! But I will definitely get into it at some point. Would love try drilling holes in a bunch of different spots and see how it sounds!
This was fuckin mindblowing! I'm gonna buy all cheap cymbals and strting experimenting many different variations of hammering.
Amazing video!
your snare sounds insane lmao
also the ride is sick
you did miracles
Next you should do a sound comparison on a ride cymbal between those sticks and a new set.
Sounds really good tbh
It's funny, during the Cymbal-only demo, I thought it sounded best unmodded. As soon as you started playing a beat, it suddenly made sense, and I realised the modded sound was much more pleasant.
Off topic, but your snare sounds great!
B8 is the best sounding budget cymbal. The fully hammered version sounded really dry with a great bell; would make a killer crash.
Bro, this is awesome. Great job by the way. Have you ever thought on doing a video hammering a cymbal but from the inside to the outside and see the difference gradually?
Thanks so much! And you know, I haven't tried that specifically yet, but i'm down to give it a go. The closest i've come to that is in my first video, where I just hammered a 2 inch ring around the bell on my Pearl 16" Crash Cymbal.
Meanwhile I'm over here looking at my violin wondering if I could also get rid of its harshness by hitting it with a hammer a few times.
Cool video. I've seen a couple of these; my suggestion would be to invest a little in better audio recording gear. Seems like you're just using whatever mic is on the camera, and the sound is incredibly compressed. It makes for some deception in the sound - like, for example, the sustain of the original ride sound. Yes, it goes on, but the compression gives a false picture of its volume over the length of that sustain. And I'd love to hear the finished ride without that compression. The audio picture would be more accurate and realistic. But again, these videos are cool, I enjoy watching.
Super cool idea, now do the cheapest b20 cymbal you can find and see how that sounds after hammering
Definitely will try this soon! So glad you enjoyed the video. Thanks for watching! Cheers 🍻
I wonder how this would work on meinl hcs cymbals. They also have that super harsh high-end at times like that sabian
Honestly I’ll probably try it soon! I’m especially curious about the 22 inch. HCS Ride. It’s one of the few beginner cymbals out there that is over 20 inches.
@SynthRay if it's not too much to ask, i would love to see the result! I subscribed!
Also, you do some sick drumming, i forgot to mention in my first comment!
Certainly! And thanks so much for subscribing! Got a video featuring a Brass Zildjian Planet Z ride coming soon. But I'll add Meinl to the list as well. 👍
So half hammered is my favorite except the crash strike , the fully hammered.
Dang that sounds amazing. You should make a lathe and reduce weight to give it wash
매우 흥미로운 결과 잘 봤습니다. 라이딩에서는 절반 해머링이, 크래싱과 라이드 둘다 에서는 전체 해머링 소리가 좋게 들리는군요.
You have to try the cymbal again! Metals need a resting period for their sound to fully sink in after their hammering. generally a day after you'll hear a pretty considerable difference, and potentially even a week after.
Hey, man.
I have beginner question.
Do I need a ball headed hammer?
Or my flat head one will do?
I love your content and I really want to try this out on a cymbal I want to make trashier.
Thank you!
You know, I personally haven't tried any other hammers aside from ball type. But I know professionals like Timothy Roberts sometimes use flat hammers. However those might be for a different part of the process. I'd say give the ball hammer a shot first. As they create smaller dents, which allows for more gradual change overtime. That way you can more finely tune the sound you want! Also, I'm so glad you're continuing to enjoy the videos! And wish you luck with your first DIY cymbal project. Cheers 🍻
alright, @SynthRay!
I'll let you know how it went!
Good night!
Hey man, this was a fun video. Might have to try hammering on some of my own old cymbals!
How are you doing those drum n bass breaks, do you have that written down/notated somewhere I could grab a copy and try to learn?
Hey thanks so much! Really glad you liked the video. And yes if you have some cheap cymbals lying around. Give it a shot! The results are almost always cool. As for the Drum n' Bass breaks. Unfortunately I do not have it written down anywhere. I play mainly by ear, and to be honest, wouldn't know how to write them down. 😂 I apologize for that.
Hell yeah brother
Also take one of those 60 dollar big glarry marching snare and turn it into a floor tom that you can put the snare wire back on if wanted or left off with the snare wire thingy idk what its called lol
Big Cymbal doesn't want you to know this
Kinda sounds like the zildjian k custom special dry (first gen) and that’s the sound I want🥶
I wanna try this on my own now! Lolll
plz upload next Zildjian b8 and paiste pst7 Hammering version!😊
I'll add em' to the list! Cheers! 🍻 and thanks for watching!
The Cuban sounded decent. Thing about b8s is that it’s old type. And still have a lot of grooves or waves to be shaved down. Overall not bad for a B8 compared to B20
Remember when shorter TH-cam videos were the norm?
And then they added the mechanic to get you more ad revenue when you exceed 10 minutes. From there we got bloated content most of the time. Thanks for not being one of them.
cool video
that snare tho holy shit
👍👍👍
yooo thats cool
If you hit the snare in the middle of the drum you might find that you get an overall better sound/stick response
I've been wondering how hammering would change the sound of sabian b8s, really cool results. Also it'd be cool if you experimented with heating b8 cymbals :)
B8’s have a tendency to sound cheap. This hammering seems drier, slightly less volume, yet crisper in sound.
I am about to try hand hammering 3 different splash cymbals, 10in. In size, yet in better quality. I will use a Paiste Signature, or a Paiste Twenty, a Sabian Legacy, or another Sabian in quality, and finally a gorgeous UFIP splash from the 1950’s.
I will be using a variety of scripted hammers used in Silver-smithing, so the designs of hammer strike will ultimately be varied in origin.
That sounds awesome! Let me know if you post a video of them. Would love to see the results.
Also, glad you enjoyed the video!
Bruno Schell is a master doing this thing, you must check it out!
I heard that you need to rest the cymbal to "rearrange their molecules". Is this true?
Definitely true for cymbals made with B20 Bronze. I believe B8 bronze is softer though, so I'm not entirely sure if the same rules apply. It sounds exactly the same to me now, as the day I worked on it. Great question though!
@@SynthRay thank you!
Now make it thinner and it will be world class sounding (to me)!
I seriously wanna try this! Need to find a cost effective lathe setup.
i think hammering the cymbal does affect the pitch of the cymbal. because if you hammer the cymbal, the note changes completely.
Definitely made the sound darker
You turned it into a cymbal that has a very specific sound. It definitely works for the amen break style drum and bass stuff you were playing as an example but both the before and after sound pretty crappy for any other style of music
Yeah I'm probably biased towards a specific sound profile. Been hammering all of my cymbals a very similar way. Would love to test some different hammer sizes and hammering patterns in future videos. Maybe even try my hand at lathing to take some of that excess weight off. Thanks for watching and subscribing by the way!
I guess I shouldn't have sold my B8's. Hated them 😂
Sounds food.. what if you did double the amount of hammering? How would that effect the sound
Based on the small amount of experience I have with the previous 2 cymbals. It seems that when you go past a certain point, the undertones and overtones become even more diminished, getting washed out by "white noise" type frequencies. (Kind of like a china cymbal) And less decay, meaning the sound dies out very quickly after being hit. The results can vary quite a bit though. I would love to try out some different sized hammers to see if that makes a difference in tone.
Is it my imagination, or did the tone drop by a fifth with amazing overtones?
Nice work! Really lowered the pitch and got rid of some annoying overtones
It's basically a crash but with a more accented bell after hammering to my ears. I prefer a ride that's more disinct from a crash and I feel the hammering had the opposite effect.
Bro, if you use a nylon tip stick on that ride it will be perfect!!! You made it dry, with less sustain, which I like in a ride. I want ping definition that doesn't ring on forever, and I think you accomplished that!!! Nylon tip stick is your answer!!!!
Im gonna have to try those nylon tip sticks for sure! I've only ever had wood tip. Also, so glad you liked the results!
@SynthRay Ya nylon tips give you so much more articulation on while playing the top of the hi hats. Also you get the ping on the ride and bell Everytime! Wooden tips get flat spots, dents and chips. Plus the adhesive that holds the tips on so much stronger. So then less tips breaking, and once the wooden tip starts to damage, if it doesn't break off and starts to crack it will run right down the shaft of the stick. I know it's a personal preference which tips they rather? But like you said, you never even tried them? Do you don't know what your missing? Plus nylon tips rebound of your hats and ride way better while playing patterns. Try them you'll see the improvement.
A few pounds ds of clay
Jam the cymbal down into and form fitting underneath
Start Hammering
i can't tell for sure if hammering made sound better
Half hammering ruined it. Full hammering rescued it and then some. It definitely became a better cymbal by the end .
I'm really surprised at how different it sounds.
Great video 👍 the audio recording 👌 your snare is ridiculous, but impressive work on the cymbal, you have inspired me to hammer away thanks man!
Half hammered was by far best,took some of the over tone away,full hammered took all life away!
To be fair, vintage is 25 years
This one in particular actually sounded good, too bad. maybe next time choose low tier Paistes or Zildjians which are really bad.
I do agree, this one had high starting point for sound quality. I was expecting it to sound worse initially. Especially considering how thick it is. Which low end series would you like to see me modify next? Curious what you have in mind.
That sucks, not your fault, but heavier cymbals especially b8 or brass when thicker sound awful no matter what, I have a 20 inch zildjan planet z and I hammered it down and patina'd it and it sounds like a meinl byzance traditional somehow lol. The thinner the better. Tried it with the crash to make a Hi hat top and it sounds even better than my dream hi hat.
Was even thinking of making a yt channel where I could hammer cymbals and resell them too lol
A lot of high end Paiste cymbals are B8 though. It's just very difficult to make it sound good
Now I'm gonna have to get into lathing. Haha. Gotta shave some weight off of it. Would love to take it from 2400 grams down to 1900. Would make it more washy for sure.
Also, sounds like I might need to get my hands on a Zildjian planet Z! Would be fun for a future video.
Nonsense. Some of the best cymbals have been made from B8. Ever play a Giant Beat? Just because some youtuber with a hammer can't make an already cheaply made cymbal sound good, doesn't mean a real craftsperson can't use B8 to make something special. The material matters much less that the care, knowledge, and skill that goes into making something. Today's obsession with cymbal and drum materials comes from successful marketing. In the past nobody cared. They only cared about whether the instrument sounded good for the music
Lol I hate it 😂 Good idea though!
Haha, well I guess I can’t please everyone. 😂 Thanks for watching anyway!
Half hammerd was my choice.
Ok, now Lathe it
i mean its not necessarily bad at first (also i got first comment and first like :D )
Of course! And this video is more about changing sound profile, less than it is general improvement. Sabian makes great cymbals across the board. 👍
Agreed brother. Love your videos!
Thanks so much. So glad you enjoy them! Appreciate you!
Now lathe it
I know right! Thats gonna be the next step for these DIY cymbal projects. Would love to try it.
Before
Thanks i hate it
No prob. Anything for you. 😂
Great vid, and not knocking your work, but the cymbal is just bad. Sounds like shit in all three examples.
I feel like now you have a gong unless you hit the bell, then it sounds like a ride again.
The original sounded actually really nice
Makes me confident to buy a cheap ride!
Just got the $200 SJC galaxy pathfinder Floor Tom!
I love that series, but I wanted a nice ping so I got the Mapex Side Snare and just a cheap Wuhan hat. But don’t knock Wuhan they got the right tone!