Thread: Finger Cymbal Recommendation

I've been using my Silver Tutankhamun's for years and they work beautifully indoor or outdoor with live band.

I find them a bit overbearing for indoor, band-less gigs, however.

What would you recommend "one level down" in terms of tone and the "cut through" factor (if that makes sense) from the Silver Tut's?

Not sure if I have heard the silver Tuts, but I love my Saroyan Turkish Delights. To me, they have the best tone of any zills that I own.

For a mellow sound that works well indoors, I love my Saroyan Grecians. I have them in brass, which is mellower than the silver.

Originally Posted by tamrahennatx

For a mellow sound that works well indoors, I love my Saroyan Grecians. I have them in brass, which is mellower than the silver.

Thanks, Dunyah and TamraHennaTx.
Dunyah, are the Turkish Delight the very tinkly sounding ones?
TamraHenna, I should check out if they have the Grecians in silver. I'm not crazy about the brass b/c I found them too mellow but maybe they would work for my purposes...hm...

I am very partial to my Saroyan Pro's.

I have a set of silver Grecians. I like the low mellow tone but I don't use them very often. They clang rather than ring -- hey have little to no sustained bell-like qualities. If you are playing for some old people with hearing aids, or in a very small room with bad acoustics, they'd be great.

I checked out Harry's site and I'm actually interested in the light guage Contemporary zills.

Anybody have experience with those? I liked the way they sounded on Quicktime...

Maybe it's just me, but I find that a sustained ring really gets on my nerves. I prefer a shorter sustain. The Grecians have worked really well for me in all kinds of indoor situations, but maybe I have a very sensitive ear.

I happen to like turquoise Intl zills size A or B the sound is personal preference. I think they aren't as high pitched a some Saroyan ones. I have Nefertitis and Saroyan Pros. It can't hurt to give Turquoise intl a try Ali is really nice to deal with.

Alrana

Another vote for Saroyan Pros! I love mine for performance. I tend to be hypersensitive to a lot of higher pitches and harsher tones, so I appreciate that these are relatively mellow and clear, but still loud.

I have the light-gauge Contemporaries and like them a lot as well. They are very, very easy on the ear (my ear, anyway) and don't carry much. I play them in class, for practice, and for performances at more intimate venues -- they can be hard to hear in a bigger space.

Originally Posted by Zana

Another vote for Saroyan Pros! I love mine for performance. I tend to be hypersensitive to a lot of higher pitches and harsher tones, so I appreciate that these are relatively mellow and clear, but still loud.

I have the light-gauge Contemporaries and like them a lot as well. They are very, very easy on the ear (my ear, anyway) and don't carry much. I play them in class, for practice, and for performances at more intimate venues -- they can be hard to hear in a bigger space.

Good to know, Zana. I'm *this* close to ordering a pair of the Contemporaries!

If you get them, don't like them, and can't or don't want to send them back, you can always sell them on to me. I could use a shiny new pair anyway.

Oh lord, the Saroyan pros were my first large pair, and I did not like the tone at all!

That said, I really prefer the old school sound of cheapo finger cymbals, so maybe I'm an oddity.

I agree on the Contemporaries. The Grecians have a very low tone and shouldn't hurt anyone's ears, but I think they are a little odd. I don't know why.

Right now I am alternating between my Turquoise Turkish ones and my Saroyan Afghani bronze ones.

I say buy a new set whenever you can and play them all and you will figure out which ones you like for different situtations.

another vote for light gauge brass contemporaries here! i don't have anything bigger, myself, but my sensitive ears and i think they sound beautyfull.

Cool, cool! Will be ordering tomorrow! :0) Thanks for your recommendations!

How's that for a consensus?

Originally Posted by tamrahennatx

Oh lord, the Saroyan pros were my first large pair, and I did not like the tone at all!

That said, I really prefer the old school sound of cheapo finger cymbals, so maybe I'm an oddity.

I have the Pros and I like the size, but the tone bugs me. I liked them at first, but over time, I notice I choose my other set over them (smaller ones made for my former teacher, Azar of Mystic Sun Studios by Saroyan).

I know I am chiming in late but, I have a pair of the contemporaries and LOVE them. They have such a wonderful clear ring to them. I actually wear hearing aids myself and I can play them without having a major headache by the end but they are so clear that others can hear them very well. An added bonus for me is that because they are of a higher ring tone I can hear them perfectly without my hearing aids too. Go Contemporaries! lol

:) Heather

p.s. put me second in line if you decide to sell them ;)

OMG, a swap meet in futures commodities! ..l;,

Another vote for the contemporaries!!! I love them!!!