Andy Duncan considers the pros, cons, and sensible choices involved with round shiny things.

It seems fairly obvious that what you do with cymbals is hit them. Nor do you need to be a musicologist to appreciate that this simple procedure, executed at the right moment, can add excitement to most types of music. The image is a familiar one; sweating drummer lashes wildly out in any direction, safe in the knowledge that stick must eventually coincide with one of the forest of gleaming cymbals which obscures him/her from viewas the video camera swoops around the kit.

But (and it's a biggie) don't be fooled. There is more to it. These lumps of metal can be subtle, expressive, delicate even. They have tonal qualities beyond the reach of the most powerful sampling devices. Also a pile of them don't come cheap and the chances are that the perspiring person behind them, has, a), a roadie to hump, assemble and polish the gear and b), and endorsement deal with a company happy to supply and replace the cymbals as fast as they can be broken, melted or have chunks bitten out of them, as long as these antics sell records, fill stadia and get on TV.

So what do the likes of you and I really need? Essentially the same small, portable and adaptable set up that evolved in the forties and early fifties: a pair of Hi-hats, a Crash and a Ride. Other special/novelty cymbals will suffice for any musical style evolved since.

So much for progress we laugh, but soon our smiles fade. What is this Hi-hat, and what constitutes a good one? What, for that matter, is a cymbal anyway?

Cymbals are made by two methods, one more expensive than the other and since price can have a lot to do with appeal, it's worth knowing the difference. The expensive process involves casting the basic shape by pouring molten metal into a mould, which, having set, is then lathed and hammered into its finished state. Higher grade Zildjian and Sabians are made this way. The cheaper process is simply to stamp the basic shape from a sheet of metal and then lathe and hammer it. This is how Paiste and Meinl do it.

What's the difference? you say. In sound terms sheet metal cymbals have a more consistent tonal quality — one Paiste 16 sounds very much like another. The one you buy in Budley Salterton wil sound much the same as the one that someone else buys in Berlin. Cast cymbals are less predictable but produce more than one sound. Varying strokes will create varying tonal responses. In structural terms cast cymblas have a greater molecular density and are therefore stronger than their sheet metal equivalents. So a Paiste crash may not have the lifespan of a Sabian AA, but it will be cheaper.

Meanwhile where would we be without the old Hi-hat? Slam Dancing Hip-Hoppers are careful to programme some kind of manic, stop-go Hi-hat pattern into their drum machines, and even rule breakers like Prince have a use for them. So do the Bunnymen, Banshees, Big Country and Bill Bruford, so why not the rest of us?

These are the two cymbals on the foot-operated stand, invariably 14in, and with a Heavier bottom cymbal than top. Although there's nothing to stop you from using unmatched sizes or makes, be prepared for premature wear on the smaller cymbal and broken sticks if the larger of the two is the bottom one. Assuming that you are looking for your first pair, be warned. Expense doesn't correspond to quality. Beauty is in the ear of the beholder. I have a pair of sixty quid Sabian B8+'s that sound every bit as good as my 200 quid plus HHs.

They make a nice "chip" sound when brought smartly together with the foot. They make a sparkling "tang" sound when brought together and then immediately apart. Played with the stick tip an inch or two in from their edge they produce a sibilant "tick" (with cymbals pressed together). Fractionally apart and with stick shoulder striking cymbal edges at about 15 degrees: plenty of HM type row. Other good features to look for: pingy bottom cymbal and clear top cymbal bell sound (the raised bit near the hole).

With crash cymbals the factors are simple. The thicker it is, the more noise it'll make and the bigger the diameter, the longer the noise will last. How loud is loud? Ideally your kit should produce an inherently balanced sound. You should be able to record it with one microphone and be able to hear the lot with each component sound complementing the other. So the volume of your crash cymbal is related to the volume of your drums.

If you want lots of noise, the thicker version seems the logical choice but beware, heavier cymbals have to be hit harder to create a response and their density produces a louder "clang" as the stick actually strikes the metal. Again this should balance harmoniously with the shimmering crescendo which immediately follows. What's the best size if you can afford only one? I'd go for a 16.

A good ride will give you bright, pingy stick response, will not build up uncontrollable overtones as you play your patterns (with stick tip across the surface), and will include a well-defined bell sound (stick shoulder on raised bit). The dual purpose crash/ride will be more expensive than the single function job and should obviously fulfill both sets of criteria. By the way, for maximum lifespan a glancing blow on the crash will suffice, as opposed to the vertical action of the slatebreaking karate chop.

If you can only afford a second-hand cymbal, try to avoid anything with cracks either from the edge inwardly or the central hole out. Likewise anthing with dents, particularly around the rim. If you have a cymbal with a split remember that you can have it cut down and turned it into a speciality cymbal. The dented one can always be turned into the fake Chinese, where the sound of dustbin lids in torment is de rigeur. Six, 8 or 10in splashes with their fast decay, can be another inexpensive addition, but maybe later. For now the basic set-up will be challenge enough.