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Question: How to play the cymbals!?
so i joined marching band and since i really couldnt play anything there they put me on color guard, but shen i asked about cymbals (im thinking it was a mistake but i enjoy it) so neways i cant seem so stay in rhythem and its annoying the rest of the drum line, so for all cymbal players, help me on the basics on how to play it, our first parade is in 3 weeks!.Www@QuestionHome@Com


Best Answer - Chosen by Asker:
Well I played cymbals for a year in my college marching band (In Japan), and I hated it!. There is not much you can do with Cymbals other than choreography, and just flat out banging them!. I didn't like the cymbals because they were boring, all you do is bang them together every beat!. But on to your question, the best way to practice this if you don't have any hand held cymbals at your house, is to take two pillows together, find the song(s) you are playing for the parade, and march in place, pretending to actually play them!. Cymbal parts aren't really that hard, even without music, because in almost every cymbal part I've seen, there is a pattern for every measure (bar)!. 3 weeks should be enough time to get the songs down!. If you are playing with the rest of the percussion, they may play cadences (A percussion solo usually after every song)!. If you are playing the cadences, than you might have a little bit more trouble!. Have your section leader teach you them, or have someone who knows the cymbal part to teach you the cadences!. Anyway, I hope this helps!

-NakayamaWww@QuestionHome@Com

How to play Crash Cymbals: Grip the strap of either cymbal between your index finger and thumb!. Grip close to the cymbal bell!. Curl the rest of your fingers around the strap, squeezing the whole strap firmly!. Your thumb may rest against the bell to help control the movement of the cymbal!. Hold the crash cymbals at an angle, with the edge of the right cymbal lower than the edge of the left!. Without moving the left cymbal, bring the right cymbal inward and upward, and strike against the left cymbal with a glancing motion!. If repeated strokes are necessary, return to the starting position and repeat!. If no additional strokes are necessary for several counts, bring both cymbals to open position, facing away from you!. To dampen the ringing of the cymbals, firmly pull the edges of the cymbals in against your upper arms, chest, or mid-body!.

Other than that, follow the music and listen to the beat and you will be fine!.Www@QuestionHome@Com