Any drum set can be upgraded with electronic cymbals and a drum trigger module to expand the sound palette. The majority of these cymbals fall into one of two categories: acoustic electric and pads. Electronic cymbals are classified similarly to acoustic cymbals in terms of their functions and sizes within the kit.
The majority of electronic cymbals are pads or acoustic electric instruments. Pads are typically made of rubber-like synthetic materials and come in a variety of colors. While some pads have rebounding and swinging capabilities similar to acoustic cymbals, others do not. Acoustic electric cymbals, on the other hand, are made up of electronic components such as microphones and pickups, as well as the same materials as acoustic cymbals, and can produce the same sounds as their acoustic counterparts. To reduce the volume of the cymbal, it is usually perforated or coated with a dampening material, and microphones are typically used to increase the volume during acoustic performances.
Electronic cymbal manufacturers, for the most part, categorize their products according to their musical function. Hi-hat, crash, and ride cymbals are some of the most commonly used cymbals. The hi-hat is used to keep time and is usually smaller than the crash and ride. It’s made up of a matching pair of cymbals that you can open and close with your foot. The crash cymbal comes in a variety of sizes and is used for accents, whereas the ride cymbal is usually the largest, allowing it to produce a full sound and a rhythmic pattern.
The size of each electronic cymbal varies. Some companies, for example, sell hi-hats in two or more sizes. The sound produced by electronic cymbals is unaffected by their size because they trigger sounds from a drum module. The size, on the other hand, has an effect on how the cymbal feels when struck with a stick, mallet, or other instrument by the drummer. Drummers usually choose cymbal sizes based on how they feel.
The trigger zones of some electronic cymbals are used to classify them. The trigger zone is the area where a drummer hits to activate a drum module sound. A single-zone cymbal allows the drummer to produce one main sound, whereas a multi-zone electronic cymbal allows the drummer to trigger one sound per zone. Each zone can be assigned to completely different sounds or different variations of the same sound, allowing the musician to more accurately reproduce the sound of an instrument.
Some cymbals are classified not only by zones, but also by their ability to mimic the physical qualities of an acoustic cymbal. Like an acoustic cymbal, an electronic cymbal with swing, for example, moves back and forth and up and down. It may also have a similar rebounding effect. Similar to an acoustic cymbal, an electronic cymbal with choke can be struck with a drumstick and then quickly silenced by the musician’s hand.