Worship Cymbal Packs SUCK! Here's What to Buy

[@gamernation185]

In a nutshell, cymbals that are used for worship are usually: 1. Large in size 2. Thin in weight 3. Dark, deep and/or dry in sound/tone 4. Slightly low in volume compared to most cymbals

[@musiq21]

To be fair, these “worship packs” cymbals they are more geared towards black gospel music, which are more focused on a brighter sound….worship is worship, so that can be ANY gospel style. But now the cymbals that YOU are looking for, are more catered towards CCM style, which are focused on a darker toned sound

[@LijahPlaysDrums]

This would be correct ✅

[@Culturelens]

What is black gospel music. Stop spreading false information. we love big cymbals in Africa. Thank you

[@LijahPlaysDrums]

@@Culturelens It’s gospel music in a black church. We do things completely different with our music. We focus more on more brighter cymbals e.t.c. Not really sure on the “false information” you speak of but if you went and looked it up you’d see that it’s very real. Try looking for John P Key you’ll see.

[@LijahPlaysDrums]

@@Culturelens the most popular cymbal sizes for our church music are 14 in hats, 16 and 18 inch crashes, with a 21 inch ride and maybe a splash depending on the drummer and his skill of dynamics 🤷🏾‍♂️

[@christianpena6396]

Thank you so much, im a worship leader getting cymbals for my church and I wasn’t sure what to get I’ve never bought cymbals before

[@drew_the_drummer]

You are very welcome! I really hope you are able to get the right cymbals for your church.

[@christianpena6396]

Trying! Trying to stay under 1,000

[@christianpena6396]

Any recommendations?

[@drew_the_drummer]

@christianpena6396 try going to Heartbeat cymbals. There is a cymbal pack that has a really good price for churches. If you are really trying to stay close 1000$ you'll probably want to look at used cymbals.

[@sirdrumsalot]

As a young worship drummer, I fell into this exact trap! For my first cymbal purchase, I bought a cheap set of ZBT’s, all smaller sizes. I went for it even after a fellow drummer tried offering me some of his better quality cymbals for a similar price. I wish I would’ve listened then! My second set of cymbals was where I went way wrong, as I bought a set of K custom darks (marketed for worship), expecting them to be the greatest sounding cymbals ever. I quickly fell out of love with them and decided to look elsewhere just a few years later. Fast forward to 2019 and using the information I had now gleaned through trial and error, I bought some Istanbul Agop cymbals from a local drum shop. Tried out each one individually and then played them together in the store. I vowed to never buy another pack, so I now buy a new cymbal from a different series each time. Pretty fun getting to mix and match! I understand not everyone can go this route, especially as a young drummer with either no job or a low paying job, but the higher quality cymbals you invest in early will make all the difference later.

[@mainze6312]

@sirdrumsalot i agree. One of my friends just bought them. While expensive they are well worth it

[@redonred0924]

The Sabian HHX Complex series is my go-to for church. I got the biggest sizes I could possibly get, which were the 15" Medium Hats, 20" & 22" Thin Crashes, and 23" Medium Ride. The ride doesn't wash as well as I'd like it to, as it's just a bit too thick, but it has great stick definition for quieter moments that you just wouldn't get from thinner ride cymbals. I leave the washing mostly to the 22" Thin Crash. Buttery smoothe, and great for dynamic builds. The 20" to a lesser extent is also great for this. I actually have a set of Complex series cymbals I use for my classic rock cover band gigs as well when we play indoor/smaller venues. I like to use an 18" Thin Crash, and a 22" Thin Ride. The 18" crash has a ballsy, punchy sound, and may be the best sounding crash that I own. The ride, while being thinner, and darker sounding is perfect for this type of music since it still has decent stick definition, but is also thin enough to crash on without sounding like a cookie sheet *cough* Meinl cymbals *cough*. This ride is great because it saves me from needing to bring an crash, or extra hardware for said crash. Really helps to consolidate your setup is you're going for a more minimalist approach.

[@AAA889]

As a beginner drummer i found the Sabian pack an excellent sound to price ratio for 70s rock tone. The box just says worship pack.

[@drew_the_drummer]

Yes don't get me wrong they are great cymbals for practically anything but not as ideal for cymbals being used in a church.

[@AAA889]

@drew_the_drummer I went through every sound sample on KZbin and tried to stay on budget. For blues, rock, they will do the job. If I was good enough for a church group the HHX line for me. One day, maybe :)

[@drew_the_drummer]

@AAA889 I'm heading you were able to find the cymbals the fit your needs best.

[@AAA889]

@drew_the_drummer Yes, I didn't realize when I started this journey, cymbals would be so addictive. So many to choose from once the B8s just won't do. Thanks for your replies 🙂

[@brizmota1549]

Thanks for this video! I just went to guitar center and liked the HHX, and you just confirmed those are the ones!

[@drew_the_drummer]

I'm glad I could help!

[@benjamin.kelley]

I have a Zildjian K custom worship pack, and I hate the weights and sizes. It takes too much to open them up. They're 14 hats, 16 and 18 crash, avd and 20 ride.

[@drew_the_drummer]

That is my issue with them as well. I would also say each cymbal could be a size or 2 bigger.

[@ericjohnson7503]

I use Heartbeat cymbals and have used in contemporary music as well as gospel style music. I use 20 inch Custom crash, 22 Studio crash, 15 inch custom hats, 10 inch studio splash, smack stack, and a 24 inch Custom Dry ride. I also have a 24 inch Custom ride that is heavier to allow me the option for using the bell of the ride more for that gospel style music. I even crash on it some.

[@drew_the_drummer]

That's awesome!

[@rogerwelsh2335]

I talk to my bandmates about cymbals sounds. We are a band and our individual sounds make up our complete sound. It’s not my music it’s “OUR” music. How do we as a band want our “songs” to sound like.

[@jhigginbotham7547]

Highly recommend heartbeat 10 series, maybe with a light jazz ride

[@drew_the_drummer]

This past year I was able to grab a set of the 10 series cymbals for my church and they have made a huge difference!

[@tonyramos966]

Why do they have to be those sizes. Play what you like

[@drew_the_drummer]

Thats a great question! The reason I suggest these sizes is specifically for church drum kits and other worship drummers hoping to get a sound they hear on CCM recordings. When a drummer is play very specific styles of music it requires the right tools. I play the cymbals I love at home but when I play at church I play what cymbals do the right job.

[@RedCymbals]

We are worship drummers at Red and make cymbals for worship alongside our friends at Vertical Drum Co. in Oregon who make incredible drums for worship.

[@drew_the_drummer]

That's awesome! I'd love to play a set and hear them

[@Dan_the_Great_]

Thank God in my church the altar is big enough and we have great sound engineers

[@JamesWadley-y4p]

Dry cymbals SUCK!!! Clap Stacks SUCK!!! Also, the Istanbul Agop Traditional series are the best cymbals for worship IMO. Thanks for listening to my rant

[@domcruise274]

My church in Philly mixes gospel and CCM songs, they each use very different cymbals so I try to go in the middle.

[@drew_the_drummer]

That's interesting 🤔 what cymbals do you use?

[@domcruise274]

15 in HHX evolution hats, 22 and 20 HHX complex thin Crashes. 22 K Sweet ride. If it’s mostly gospel I add a 17 K hybrid.

[@drew_the_drummer]

That's sweet!

[@BetoRoberto-c4f]

I was thinking about buying 15' meinl byzance dual hi hat 22' meinl byzance extra dry thin ride 19' meinl byzance medium thin crash What do you think?

[@drew_the_drummer]

The ride and hats will work just fine 🙂 I would maybe look at a thinner crash if you want some more volume control but if that's not a concern for you then the medium thin will do the job great!

[@cedrickwright5828]

It all depends on what type of worship music you are playing, gospel music requirements are different than contemporary Christian I've played both and they command different voices when it comes to colors and attacks

[@drew_the_drummer]

That is correct! That is why I said modern contemporary Worship needs bigger thin cymbals and not gospel. Thanks for your comment and helping others out!

[@drumr_boy9887]

Meinl, Wuhan koi, sabian hhx/legacy, and instanbul agop series.

[@jonathanrichard6881]

I have a Sabian Worship Pack and they DO NOT SUCK!!! I use them for every style of Music! They are Awesome!

[@matthewgonano636]

I got the aax worship pack and wasn't impressed. sold them should have gotten the promo pack

[@kushking420]

I have a Sabian "Worship pack" that my dad bought me almost 20 years ago, I never understood why they were labelled for a worship pack. My dad didn't even notice it said that "Worship pack" as we both really aren't religious lol, he just went with the sizes and they are AAX, they're good for rock, funk, pop and more.

[@drew_the_drummer]

They pretty much work best for those genres but not necessarily as well for the genre they labelled the pack 🙃

[@hiptoalieu]

YES!!! AMEN!!! PREACH!!!

[@mikec0502]

Ugh… I wish we wouldn’t fall into the trap of “this is what it should be”. I’m a fan of trashier, faster crashes and rides, and always 14” K light hats with a small amount of tape on top and bottom. And yes, you always need a splash and a china! There I said it. And don’t be afraid to ride the bell or throw in some double pedal - God loves these things! Serve the lord, serve the song, and tell everyone else to shove it! God made us different for a reason ;)

[@drew_the_drummer]

I think you may have missed the point of my video. 1. If a church/worship leader is looking for a sound they hear in CCM this will help them find it and not waste money on expensive gear that isn't what they were looking for. 2. Helping churches/worship leaders find cymbals that help the volume problem many church are up against. Small thinner cymbals are more abrasive than larger extra thin cymbals which allows them to appear quieter. My overall advice is not about making up rules but instead narrowing things down for worship leaders who are not drummers and may not know what they might be looking for. If you play gospel music a splash is a useful tool for a church but still not necessary if you are trying to save money. I honestly don't know of a circumstance a church would need to invest into a double kick. There are so many other ways to make each song your own that saying gear limits stop you is maybe a wee bit unfortunate.

[@thierryfortier605]

I thought it was all about having controlled volume. If you have a booth, no prob. Go big. But without a booth, the drum is simply too loud for such a reverberative environment. Kinda mean for the other musicians too.

[@gregjmackay]

Is 180USD a good price for second hand sabian hhx complex 22in medium ride? Is medium ride too thick?

[@drew_the_drummer]

I would say it is a decent price used but I would lean to the thin ride over a medium for worship

[@titoparada6635]

Do you think a Zildjian K custom dark ride 22" and a Zildjian K custom dark crash 20" could they sound good for church?

[@drew_the_drummer]

I think both will work well for worship. As long as they are thin and washy

[@johannjohann6523]

I never understand the concept about "Worship Cymbals". I think it's just a marketing term as "Worship Cymbals" are just like any other cymbals I think that are out there. Personally, I'm still a fan of Zildjian Custom A cymbals because I think they are the most "musical" of cymbals. Bright, cutting through the mix without hanging around all day. Quick, fast, bright, musical.But I'm actually playing Sabian HHX and AAX cymbals with a Zildjian K dark dry ride. And gotta say Sabian does make nice cymbals. This is the first time to not play Zildjian custom A cymbals, and the Sabien cymbals sound pretty good too. I think I like the AAX cymbals the best. B20 bronze only way to go!

[@DrumAttic]

Lots of great info! Well done!

[@lorelledouglas3699]

Great, informative, fun video!

[@drew_the_drummer]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@jonathanmontgomery5182]

Yeah, but you can't hear them. They blend in so much that you can't hear them. The big rides have nooo definition at all. I've tried them and I'm not a fan. My Paiste Masters dark crisp ride is far superior as are my Paiste Dark energy hats and crashes. Heartbeat cymbals.....nope!

[@drew_the_drummer]

This is my point exactly! Churches do not usually ask their drummers to play the cymbals louder. In most cases we need to hear cymbals less in the mix not more which is why most church worship leaders should get heartbeat cymbals instead of the ones that cut through everything. It's all about context obviously. If you are in a huge room and the stage is very big and front of house is running at 100db then cymbals that cut through work best but... if you are in a medium to small room with a small stage and front of house is running at 96, 94, 92db cymbals that "get lost" are the better tool.

[@Αδιάφθορος]

The follow-up video to why 16" crashed suck.. Keep preaching brother haha

[@Reuben_Lalnunzira]

Quick question. Im planning to order a crash in our local company. what size and thickness would you recommend? specific thickness recommendation would be nice

[@drew_the_drummer]

If you already have a crashable ride cymbal I would suggest a 20inch crash if you have the budget. Don't buy anything less than an 18inch crash. Try get as thin as possible. Anything called "thin" "extra thin" or "paper thin". I don't have exact numbers weight or thickness. Essentially you want to be able to get a full sound without hitting the cymbal very hard. I hope that helps!

[@drew_the_drummer]

My 20inch crash is about 1660g in weight. That's a great starting point but if you find a crash of the same size but lighter that is even better.

[@Reuben_Lalnunzira]

@@drew_the_drummer Yes helped a lot. So its basically, "Thin is good"?

[@Reuben_Lalnunzira]

And sonic wise, are darker sounds better or?@@drew_the_drummer

[@drew_the_drummer]

@ReubenLalnunzira yes thin is good and dark is the best. They don't have to be dry tho.

[@styles3732]

That's what she said !..

[@CarlosAnglada]

Sorry, but I had to laugh at "no splashes, no chinas".

[@estebandelacruzfilms]

Sabian and Meinl 🔥🔥🔥

[@Bario511]

Musiq21 is absolutely right. this person is limited in his diverse knowledge of church/ worship music culture. he doesn't mean it, but he is misleading because he is not experienced enough to know that larger cymbals in church are a relatively new occurence and is based on copy cat syndrome just as all mega churches has a keyboard player that uses at least 1 red Nord keyboard. There is no "worship cymbal". be careful of who you isten to and the logic they implore.

[@drew_the_drummer]

If you watched my whole video I did explain what sabian/zildjian worship cymbals are meant for. Most church's in Canada and the USA are using CCM and not gospel music which means the packs of cymbals are no longer helpful to the majority of those church's. Most worship leaders don't understand what they need to look for to both find a specific sound or how to keep the stage volume low with the correct gear. My church just swapped from small and brighter cymbals to bigger thinner and darker cymbals and it drastically improved the volume.

[@titanu9188]

Ah yes, the "current sound" trap. As you get older, you figure out that none of that matters. I can play gospel and CCM with 13" hats and 14" crash with an 18" ride. And it sounds fine. The bigger = better guys always sound like they are compensating for something...

[@drew_the_drummer]

It's not a bigger is better situation or a grass is greener on the other side. You can play whatever cymbals you want, but... if you are chasing a specific sound that you are hearing in current music, then you are most likely hearing bigger cymbals. I'm just informing people to help them find out what cymbals to buy if they are chasing a sound or want something that will last them a long time.

[@isaac_drfc7742]

The one thing is cost, if I had all the money in the world I’d get heartbeat but I have to go for the cheap ones that have the right sound

[@drew_the_drummer]

That's true cymbals can cost lost of money. It's always worth checking out used cymbals to get great cymbals at a lower price.

[@magdiel7118]

@redcymbals

[@knowntalmbout]

@dreamcymbals