Cymbals - the "voice" of your drum set

Despite going Clash, clang, spssssh, bang (although they will do that), cymbalswill add flair, style, subtle undertones and unique twists to your music. There are drummers that play with only two or three cymbals, and then there are drummers like Carter Beauford of "Dave Matthews Band" and neil pert of "Rush" who use more cymbals then you really want to count. Some drummers dont even use cymbals at all! But most likely, if your just starting out or your a seasoned pro, your going to need at least a couple cymbals.
Cymbals gee in all sorts of different sizes, shapes, thicknesses, weight, material, and even color. Some of these things, like color, should really be considered only AFTER you know which cymbal will work well (a shiny but awful sounding cymbal is still not a good cymbal). But things like size, material, and weight all play a critical role in what your cymbals will sound like.
The general cymbals most drummers rely on are the hi-hats, the ride, and the crash. The hi-hat is actually two cymbals put together, and is what most drummers spend a lot of time on. These are used to keep the beat and help the band keep time. The hi-hat sits on a stand with a long pole going up, that goes through the middle of thecymbals. The top hi-hat is then clamped to the pole at the heigh that you want it to be, by a screw-like mechanism that attaches to the cymbal itself (screw-like mechanism though cymbal; pole through screw-like mechanism, screw-like mechanism onto pole....it gets confusing!)The bottom high hat rests on a wider section ofthe high hat stand to keep it from falling down. At the bottom of the stand there is a foot pedal. When this is pressed down with your foot, it pulls the top high hat down to the bottom hi hat and makes a short, muffled "chip" sound. When you take your foot off of the pedal, the cymbals will make a "swoosh" sound, that can be more or less exaggerated depending on how far apart the two cymbals are. The ride cymbal is also used for time keeping and some accents, while the crash is generally just used for those big accents.
After that, you can start adding any number of cymbals to your set. Cymbals like splash cymbals, which have a short, quick sound and fade away quickly. China cymbals have a "trashy" sound that isn't clean, and is good for accents or the end of songs.A crash-ride is generally a heavy crash cymbal, so that you can use it as a ride cymbal OR a crash cymbal. There are bell cymbals and gongs, and even trash can lids! If you hear a sound you really like from a drummer, try to find out what cymbal they used. Or get creative; tire chains, glass, and sheet metal have all been used as cymbals.
The thicker a cymbal is, the louder it will be, and it will stay loud for a longer time. A larger cymbal will also typically be louder. But, these cymbals often are often "slower" then thinner or smaller cymbals, so it takes longer to hear the noise from the cymbal. This does not mean that you will be on your next song when that cymbal you hit last songsuddenly gees charging in, but you may notice a slight delay. Once you learn how to use your cymbals together, this is usually not an issue and you learn to gepensate. Many ride cymbals and some crash cymbals are made heavier, by design for a bigger sound that is louder.
A Smaller or thinner cymbal will be "quick", but wont keep making sound for as long, and it wont be as loud. These are good for more subtle accents, and more music like jazz or blues, where heavier, louder cymbals are better for rock and metal.I should make a note hear and say that almost all cymbals can be "loud" to some extent, so loud may be a relative term. the small, thin cymbal will still make enough noise to be heard over the bands most times.
One trick is to play a cymbal on the "bell". The bell is the middle of the top part of a cymbal that will ring out more when you hit it. As you get farther from the bell, generally the sound will tend to get less crisp, which can be good or bad depending on the effect you want. Most drummers move around between playing a bell and just the flat part of the cymbal, to get different sounds.
There are many good resources online about how to hit a cymbal, and with good reason. Cymbals can crack and chip, which sometimes wont make a large impact, and sometimes will destroy the cymbal. If you hear a buzz or rattle when you hit your cymbal, your cymbal is most likely cracked.A cymbal should be hit with a downward blow, going towards the edge. Eventually you may learn all sorts of tricks about how to hit your cymbals; geing up from underneath, with your hand, with your head (hehe). But they should never be hit on the very edge; this is the weakest point and your cymbal WILL break if you hit the edge to many times. If you generally hit your drums and cymbals hard, you will want a heavier cymbal; you will get a better sound, and it isnt going to break as easily. Likewise, if you play softer, you will generally want a thinner cymbal. Otherwise your sound may suffer, and you will be lugging around heavy cymbals you dont need. Often a good mix is some thin cymbals and some heavier cymbals. It all depends on how many cymbals you want on your drumset, and keep in mind you need the room, and the stands, for every cymbal you buy. A big misconception is that more cymbals = more noise = a better drummer. Many of the best drummers use only a few cymbals. That said, it is lots of fun to have a bunch of cymbals to hit, and other great drummers tons of cymbals on their drum set. My advice would be start small and build to your collection.
There are exceptions to all of these rules. A heavy cymbal may respond very quickly because of how it is made, or a thin cymbal may be loud. Play some cymbals in a local drum shop or music store to get a feel for how loud and heavy you want you cymbals to be. Also, try to be consistant with what sticks you use. different sticks will make a different sound on cymbals. Some of these differences are very small, but some are quite drastic. The cymbal you loved in the store may end up being the cymbal you hate, because you are playing with a different stick. Also, if at all possible - try to have someone play the cymbal that your looking at buying. On a drumkit if possible, or if not, just on a stand. Cymbals can sound much different to the person playing than to the person who is listening. Try to stand across the room while someone plays your cymbal. Close your eyes and see if it fits, or if it sounds out of place. This may give you the best impression of how your cymbal really sounds, when all is said and done.
There are many many brands, each with their own unique twist, but ultimately it gees down to your ears. Some people like to stick with one brand, while others gebine all different brands. It usually is a gebination of how much you want everything to look the same, verses can you get a better deal on a different brand of cymbal. More expensive is certainly not an indication of a better cymbal, however be careful of the saying "you get what you pay for." Most importantly, have fun with your music. Cymbals are tools, and like any other tool, if you pick the right one, you can do great things with it!