Percussion Notation?-Donnie?

[timzydee]

While looking through an Orchestration book recently, I read mention of a Sizzle Cymbal. I assumed, from the LOP samples that bear the term \"sizzle\", that this was merely a style of playing and not a separate instrument. Anyway, I recently used one of these samples in a composition that will be notated into sheet music and was wondering how a percussionist would expect to see it written and if it is a style of playing applicable to crash cymbals. Thanks.

[Aqua Tarkus]

Tim,

As far as I know, a \'sizzle\' cymbal is a cymbal that just has rivets around the rim. It is used in jazz *a lot*. When you strike a sizzle cymbal, the rivets dance around for ages producing a \'sizzling\' sound. It\'s a great effect. Have a look at the following Web site for info:
http://www.paiste.com/articles/cymbal.usage.shtml (\"http://www.paiste.com/articles/cymbal.usage.shtml\")

Tarkus

[Mark_Knecht]

Quite right Tarkus. I also used to play with a drummer that liked to drape different metal objects, like beads or key chains - lots of weird little things, on a cymbal or two, to get similar effects.

Fun!

[donnie]

I am off to a rehearsal right now so I\'ll comment more on this later but I think what you are referring to is in the \"crash cymbal\" patches right? If so this is a technique I and a lot of other percussionist use to get a different sound.

Like I said I\'ll elaborate mor later...until then off to rehersal~

Donnie

[timzydee]

Yes, it is a crash cymbal patch. Just need to know what the notation would look like. Is it just a matter of writing \"sizzle\" above the note?

[Vertigo50]

I would just write \"Sizzle cymbal\" in the part. Any percussionist who\'s worth his salt will know what it means. That\'s not to say that one will be available, but most people just drape something metal on the cymbal for the extra sizzle.

Hope that helps.

P.S. I\'m a percussionist too.

[donnie]

Vertigo,

Actually thats not what we are talking about here. The tech. in question is when you crash a pair of cymbals and let them \"sizzle\" together for a couple of sec\'s after the intial attack.

I use this technique quite often fore example in Dvorak\'s 9th 4th mvt.

Donnie

[donnie]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size=\"1\" face=\"Verdana, Arial\">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by timzydee:
Yes, it is a crash cymbal patch. Just need to know what the notation would look like. Is it just a matter of writing \"sizzle\" above the note?<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Tim,

To answer your question directly it is just a matter of personal prefrence whether a cymbalist will do it or not. Some like the sound and use it as I do and some do not care for it as much and don\'t.

However, if that is the sound that you the composer wants in a section then I would write out an explination in the notes of the percussion part. Most contemporary percussion parts have large note index\'s with them that explain the way things are to hit and what to hit them with. http://www.northernsounds.com/ubb/NonCGI/images/icons/smile.gif

Donnie

[timzydee]

Dvorak\'s 9th? The New World Symphony? I only hear a suspended cymbal strike at around 2:00 on my recording.

[This message has been edited by timzydee (edited 04-21-2002).]

[donnie]

Nope, it is written for crash cym\'s (ppp) even most people play a scrape with the cymbals instead of a nice \"ppp\" crash.

Donnie

[Vertigo50]

Good call donnie,

I was off in jazz land. I should also stop responding to posts at 3:00 in the morning.

http://www.northernsounds.com/ubb/NonCGI/images/icons/smile.gif