good question! i keep mine a little loose. if they are too tight, i think it can cause cracking. i use a limited amount of cymbals when i play. i like to crash my top hat from time to time. having it a little loose allows that to happen easily. also gives you some unique sounds in closing and opening the hats slightly in my opinion.

mike

Second that ^

A little loose gives a good "wash" too, when you want it.

"Why choke good sound?"Mister T

Rub your palms together...the looser you have the hats, the more of THAT action between the cymbals you get. The tighter the hats, the more the edges will stay in line with each other, and the result is more "clang" sound.

The choice has to do with what YOU want the sound to be.

All good advice.

I will note why you might want them tighter, as no one has mentioned this.

If you are doing a lot of fast beats with rapid open hat accents on the hat, having the top clutch tighter allows less delay from foot action to hat opening. Fast 16ths with right and left hand accents are a good example of this.

BUT, that little screw that tilts the bottom hat should also be used. If the hats come together 'square' they have the highest chance of vapor locking (where the top hat picks up the bottom one when opened quickly).

Zildjian Quick beat hats were designed to reduce this, with four big holes in the bottom hat. I drilled two small 1/4" holes in my 15" field cymbals at the bell for the same exact effect, without a big change to the sound (no change really). I prefer new beats (no holes) but have not had this problem.

All this said, it is a personal preference. Where/when I was doing a lot of this fast hat work, I spent several hours working out just exactly where my hats needed to be with regards to height, position, tilt, spring tension and all the other adjustments afforded a DW 5000 hi hat stand. It was well worth it, but it is an investment you may need to make. If you are just playing simpler beats such as early Beatles stuff, you should listen to the guys here who suggest a very loose top hat. It enhances the part open wash and the cymbals will respond to your touch a lot better. My old kit with the cheap old Pearl HH stand is set this way because I don't play those hats (that kit) the way I do on my big kit.

One fast hat 'big kit' beat (from Missionary Man): 1 e + a 2 e + a 3 e + a 4 e + *a* 1 (repeat 4 times, fill from 4 to 1, repeat phrase, at ~110 BPM.) Bold are open hat marks with corresponding bass hits underneath. The last *a* is a snare- either a single stroke or double 32nd's. Not terribly technical but it fits the song well. Later in the song it is basic metal style open hat eighths (so the hats can't be too tight on top) with more challenging (single) bass drum work to keep it interesting, and a third section is wide open quarters on the ride at reduced tempo (garnished with atmospheric sounds and cross stick), about 60 BPM for that, and then a build and back at turbo speed again.

PS I haven't played this song in a while and never wrote it out either... My head hurts Mind Blowi remembering what I came up with back then and I doubt I could play this part as recorded today. I'd need a lot of practice to get my chops back to that level!

This is from an old guy that started playing about 50 some odd years ago.

Bare with me a little. Maybe Jim has already said this somewhat. When I started playing I always opened my hats pretty good and played mostly Jazz and what they called bebop.

When I began playing Elvis & Beatle covers I closed them a little more. Then when in the late sixties, early 70s I closed them even more and was able to play them better.

When the hair bands hit with their music and with the band Rush on scene, which I loved by the way, I closed my hats down and was met with the problem Jim talked about.

Then I did the following like Jim may be saying. I used that little screw that tilts the bottom and heavier hat just enough to tilt it some. Then I loosened the upper lighter hat some and when I set up for a gig I brought the upper hat so it just touched the tilt in the bottom hat giving me a small gap. When I did this with mics it sounded better and I was able to get some faster opened and closed chops with it and I never had the vapor lock problem without holes in the hats, probably because the gap between the two is very small? When I played a Jazz gig I used another stand and hats.

I know it isn't a revelation to the newer drummers but it was to me. I still carry on, so it all depends on what style music you play.

Just me two,three cents: Tom

Just a lil' loose, for me. I use a DW5000 two-legger HH and it has a great clutch. I leave my hats just ever-so-loose and all is well.

B

if it dont slip it aint right

Well, again this old dog has learned from you folks here on VDF. For 50 years :eek: I have snugged the top hat cymbal very tightly, without giving it much thought. After reading this thread I decided to try leaving it a little looser yesterday when we jammed. Started out too loose but soon found the right amount of pressure where it's responds correctly, can move slightly and sounds much more open. Thanks