Zildjian K Cymbals

GEARREVIEWS
Zildjian
K Cymbals
From £422 | New hi-hats and
extra ride models? The more the
merrier, says Adam Jones.
ESSENTIALS
PRICES
Zildjian K Cymbals
13” K Light
hi-hats £422
14” K Light
hi-hats £444
22” K Dark
Medium ride £444
24” K Light
ride £524
CONTACT
Yamaha-Kemble
Music (UK) Ltd
Sherbourne Drive
Tilbrook
Milton Keynes
MK7 8BL
Tel ephone
01908 366700
Website
www.zildjian.com
T
hese new additions to Zildjian’s K
range all made their debut at this
year’s NAMM show. K cymbals
are renowned for their musicality and
tone and these new models are a
continuation of this tradition.
Included in the offerings is a 22" ride
that has been developed under the
close scrutiny of Cindy Blackman, and
a whopping great 24" ride that has
found fans among some of Zildjian’s
highest profi le endorsees.
Lighten up
First up are two pairs of Light hi-hats.
These have been developed in
response to requests for lighter
versions of the existing K hats. They
are available in two diameters: 13" and
14". Both pairs of cymbals bear lots of
tight, shallow bands of lathing on both
sides (known as pin lathing) and have
handsome fl attish profi les.
Contrary to what you might expect,
the hats are not especially thin. Paired
as a medium thin on top and a medium
on the bottom, they are substantial
enough for most weights of players.
This sturdiness also ensures that they
generate a good level of volume.
The 13" models are bright, lively
and respond very quickly. Played
energetically, they sound surprisingly
aggressive. Beneath the opening
brightness is warmth and delicacy
though, and gentle playing reveals
more of their colour and depth. I found
these hi-hats most pleasing when
being stroked rather than bashed, but
they are more than capable of coping
with a wide range of dynamics.
The 14" hi-hats are immediately a
mellower prospect, giving a deeper
and darker response with a little more
complexity as a result. There is still
plenty of mid-range body to be found
though, and the toppy clarity of the 13"
models is also present when required.
098 RHYTHM JUNE 2007
As with the
smaller versions,
this makes for a
thoroughly versatile pair of hi-hats
that offer classic K warmth while
still being able to project in many
musical situations.
Cindy’s cymbal
Versatility was exactly what Cindy
Blackman was after when she
approached Zildjian with her idea for
the 22" Dark Medium ride. Though
best known for her work with Lenny
Kravitz, Cindy is an accomplished jazz
musician and solo artist in her own
right. She was seeking a multi-use
cymbal that would work across
musical genres, with enough power to
cut through in a stadium setting
coupled with the colour and fi nesse
required in an acoustic jazz setting.
Loading so many demands onto a
single cymbal must inevitably build in
compromises in some areas, but what
Zildjian has come up with pretty much
ticks all of the boxes. There is an
unmistakable air of refi nement about
the ride. Heavily lathed, and also
sporting a good measure of hammer
marks, its profi le is crowned by a well-
proportioned bell.
In play, the cymbal gives a strong,
tight stick sound that sits over a
lapping wash. The wash introduces
shading and musical overtones
without ever threatening to engulf the
pulse. Moving onto the bell brings a
more focused, driving response that
adds authority. Bringing the shoulder
of the stick against the bell delivers a
seriously cutting sound that would
force its way through most, if not all
styles of music. The ride does open for
crashing, but this end of its
performance spectrum is better
suited to rocky environments.
Whacking it results in a full, loud and
exhilarating crash, one whose
reverberations continue for some time
after the initial attack has decayed.
This is a well-conceived cymbal that
performs strongly in all disciplines and
excels in many of them. Between
Cindy Blackman’s
22" Dark Medium ride
is as versatile and
musical as Cindy herself.
RHY138.gear_zild 98 19/4/07 18:33:55