NOT SO MANY years ago the choice of cymbals seemed simple: you found a ride, a crash, and a hi-hat. Nowadays it's often bewildering: so many types, weights, shapes and sizes you wonder what more can possibly be done with a cymbal.

Well at Paiste, whence much of this enterprise has come, there seems no shortage of new projects. And it's not totally surprising to hear they're the first to launch a coloured (yes, green, red, etc) cymbal, while their more expensive end is further extended by the updating of the Sound Creation line.

Sound Creations have been around for a few years. Now the process has been refined, "intensifying existing sounds", to produce six new categories dubbed New Dimension, while sound-edge hi-hats and flat rides have been incorporated into the original Sound Creation line.

With these additions the SC range is as extensive as the 2002 and 602 lines. The difference lies in there being no general sound character for the whole range; each cymbal is reckoned to be individual. Thus the suggestion that the SCs are ideal add-ons: a couple might be chosen to spice up your existing cymbal set. However, I'd say that the NDs, compared to the familiar 2002s, are mostly darker yet with a distinctive steady edge — a very up-to-date sound. Plus they're loud!

With New Dimension, Paiste have concentrated on rides: there are five new categories. In recent years drummers have often neglected rides in favour of the ubiquitous hi-hat. The time is due for a return to rides, but drummers increasingly look for a tight rather than broad ride beat, so that the rhythm can be transferred from hi-hat to ride without loss of definition. So heavy cymbals with correspondingly higher, tighter and louder sounds have become popular. Accordingly, the 2002 "power ride" is Paiste's most sought-after ride in the US. The New Dimension "bell ride" is a step further on with an even more powerful and penetrating bell, plus a bright ride over a deep tone. It is only one of five categories, each of which follows this trend to an extent, but which all have their own special character.

It's a thankless task (and I don't have the space) to attempt descriptions of them all, but I will just mention the "dark flat-rides". These are the hardest and loudest flats I've heard. The dark flavour had a pleasing, silvery cast over the expected "sticky" sound. They could easily broaden the popularity of flats in rock. The deep but steady tone, as you can imagine, also suits the ND Chinas. These have small cup bells (rather than squared ones) so there's more of a precise ride sound again. Yet the crash is mysterious and impressive. For once the crash/ride tag is genuinely applicable.

Besides the "dark crashes" there are two "short" crashes. These have special flattened bells and can be crashed in quick succession without overblowing. Not a new concept, but one I'm glad Paiste are pursuing.

Finally, there are "dark medium" and "dark heavy" sound-edge hi-hats, combining the dark sound with sound-edge incisiveness.

These cymbals are the most expensive in the Paiste range, but they are undoubtedly special. The various Paiste lines vary in expense because different lines require different processes and hammerings. I was eloquently guided through the ND range by (Paiste endorsee) Jon Hiseman, who's hit a few cymbals in his time. And while he loves the NDs he's equally happy to thrash, for instance, certain of the 505 line. These are cheaper because their manufacture is simpler. It doesn't mean they're worse, just different. I mention this because there really is a huge choice, as I said at the start. If you can afford to add-on a special New Dimension or two, then great, but go by your ears, not price tags. You may even hear some bright red ones in the store that sound good to you...

Which brings me to Colorsound 5, an initial range of nine cymbals in red, green, blue or black, with maybe other colours to come, and even coloured designs. OK, you've spotted a gimmick, but with Paiste's reputation on the line you can bet a lot of work has gone into the idea. And on the limited preview I managed to get, they're certainly good, although I have reservations.

The overall feeling was a bit cold and lacking in overtones. This is inevitable with a coated cymbal. I don't know what the Paiste process is, but on inspection the colour seems to be a very thin sprayed-on film. The thinness of the film results in an almost fluorescent, acrylic quality which will no doubt look good under lights. (For God's sake don't try spraying your own cymbals — you'll kill 'em stone dead!)

Paiste have had to do some nifty work to produce cymbals bright enough in sound to project through the coating. This they do, though, and they have their own particular look (largish bell, special taper) and sound, distinct from any other Paiste line.

I particularly liked the 18in "power crash" which was very clean and penetrating. I could also find a home for the 12in splash — meatier than most splashes, heavier, and more crash-like. The 22in ride was very precise with a loud metallic bell. The lack of subtle overtones is evident throughout, making the cymbals a bit one-dimensional. But this may not bother you in an average rock setting where overtones are, in any case, lost in the general melee. They may prove good for recording for the same reason: clarity. The 14in hi-hats were a bit disappointing, however, nice and "ticky" when closed, and not too loud (again good for recording?), but on opening there was a distinct lack of sound and tone, a dullness.

The price is somewhere between the 505s and 2002s, which seems about right. You need to take special care: wrap them individually as metal-to-metal contact can damage the colour coating. Don't worry though, heavy stick work won't remove the colour.

You have to expect a bit of hassle with something so revolutionary, and this is certainly an enterprising, fun idea to start 1985. Whether in the long-run an everyday blue or red cymbal can ever be as beautiful as a traditional gleaming bronze cymbal... well, it's nice to have the choice.

PAISTE sound creation/new dimension/colorsound 5 cymbals

Sound Creation New Dimension Dark Crash 18in, 20in. Dark Ride 18in, 20in, 22in. Bright Medium Ride 18in, 20in, 22in. Dark China Type 18in, 20in, 22in. Short Crash 16in, 18in. Bell Ride 20in, 22in. Sound Creation additions Dark Flat Ride 16in, 18in, 20in, 22in. Dark Medium Sound-Edge hi-hats 13in, 14in. Dark Heavy Sound-Edge hi-hats 13in, 14in. Coloursound 5 Splash 12in. Crash 16in, 18in. Power Crash 18in. Ride 20in, 22in. Power Ride 20in. Hi-hat 14in. China Type 18in.

CONTACT: John S Ivor Arbiter Ltd, (Contact Details).