← Drums & PercussionDrums & Percussion
Crash Cymbal
The big splash that announces a new section.
1 · Hear it
Listen twice: once alone, once with the band. The second one is how you'll actually hear it in songs.
2 · What it actually is
A large thin cymbal that explodes into noise and rings for seconds.
Its job
Punctuation — it marks the first beat of something new.
Listen for
A bright explosion that slowly washes away.
You've heard it in: The downbeat of every rock chorus.
3 · Words that go with it