Image sourced from Reddit 

Wondering about making a musical arrangement with a hi-hat? It would be a strange piece of music.

The hi-hat is a critical instrument in every musical arrangement. Therefore, understanding the hi-hat and mastering its play is crucial for every drummer.

The musical arrangements need rhythmic complexity and texture to attract the audience and make a mark in their heads. Hats are used to add these features.

They are a fundamental component in a drum kit and percussion setup. And their use is linked to offering versatility in the music and presenting different sounds overall.

This blog post is centered on an overview of the hit hat components, tips for hi-hat mastery, playing techniques, and finally, finding the right hi-hat stand for yourself and understanding how it will help you elevate your performance. So stay tuned till the very end!

Understanding the Role of Hi-Hat Components in Your Performance  

The hi-hat comprises four components. 

Cymbals

Cymbals are two identical bronze plates that are thin and domed. The cymbals might be made of bronze or bronze alloy.

The cymbals are crucial for the characteristic sound of the hi-hat. They make this sound when they are played simultaneously.

The cymbals’ voice, tone, volume, and responsiveness are significant in playing the hi-hat. These features mainly depend on the size, weight, and material from which the cymbals are made.

So, a keen eye on the cymbal’s size, weight, and material is crucial for the required voice.     

Clutch

The clutch is used for the cymbal control. With the help of a clutch, the drummer creates different sounds as they can lift the top cymbal and drop it on the bottom one. This creates a variety of sounds.

When the cymbals are tightly bound together, the sound changes to a crisp one and a sizzling one when they are a bit apart. This way, the sound response is changed by adjusting the distance or the tension between the cymbals.      

The clutch plays a crucial role in controlling this process with a quick-release mechanism newly incorporated into the clutch. The drummers can quickly remove or attach the cymbal.

Stand

The stand component of the hi-hat supports the cymbal. With the stand, drummers can navigate to the appropriate height at twitch and easily play the instrument.

A better-equipped stand helps stabilize the instrument during the performance. They also provide an aesthetic touch with their various designs. They come in different shapes, like tripod boom stands, etc.

Pedal

The pedal controls the opening and closing of the cymbals. It is operated by the foot. The drummer can press and release the pedal and control the opening and closing of the cymbal.

So, by the pedal, the range of sounds is played. In the whole process, the responsiveness of the pedal and its smoothness of operation helps in creating an accurate & appropriate sound.

Basic Hi-Hat Playing Techniques

The basic Hi-Hat playing techniques include shoulder on the edge, tip on the top, pedal control, and foot splash.

Pedal Control

The pedal control technique helps in the precise controlling of the hi-hat pedal and mastering this art.

The control of the pedal helps ensure a smooth transition between the close and open positioning of the hi-hat.

Foot Splash

The foot splash technique involves slightly opening the hi-hat with your foot during a groove or a fill. This technique helps create and add dynamics to your play and thus helps produce a unique sound.

Shoulder On The Edge

In shoulder on the edge technique, the drummer basically places the shoulder of the drumstick on the edge of the hi-hat cymbals.

The drummer would practice this technique by slowly varying the angle of the drumstick on the cymbal to achieve a different variety of sounds.

This technique can be used for both open and closed hi-hats. It is more suitable when playing the quarter notes.

Tip On The Top

In the tip-on-the-top technique, you place the drumstick tip on the top surface of the hi-hat.

The tip on the top is used for playing the in-between-beat notes, simply the off-beat notes.

Practicing this technique with the shoulder-on-edge technique helps create a dynamic contrast effect. The shoulder on top plays the accented notes, the on-beat ones. And a tip on top plays the off-beat ones.

So, it helps in creating a balanced mix that contrasts well.

Advanced Techniques

The advanced hi-hat playing techniques involve resynthesizing your hats, unconventional patterns, syncopation, and polyrhythms.

Resynthesizing Your Hats

The technique is used to create unique sounds by physically modeling the live hi hats and cymbals.This helps in designing your own sound and adds a personalization element to it.

In order to do so, the drummer needs to experiment with different striking points on the hi-hat surface. This can be done from the edge to the top surface of the hi-hat. Varying the pressure and the stick's angle will also change the voice.

These techniques with pedal control can help in the resynthesis of your hats into your personalized hats, giving you the required sound.

This is an advanced technique; therefore, it is not easy to practice it. In case you want to do so, firstly, you must have a decent enough understanding of the instrument.

Unconventional Patterns

Another advanced technique is to use unconventional patterns. Firstly, you need to get away from the traditional way of playing and using the traditional patterns.

Try to go for odd patterns like 5/4 or ⅞ patterns. This helps create a unique, highly complex sound. You must first have a thorough knowledge of the instrument, sound, and basic techniques. 

The reason is that you can fine-tune this beat of yours only with this prior knowledge.

Syncopation and Polyrhythms

The syncopated accents used, which are the off-beat hits, are a great advanced technique.This helps add tension and groove to your sound.

In polyrhythms, you experiment with different rhythms and make a layering.This helps create a whole new unique sound, which helps a great deal in going advanced in the hi-hat journey.

Wanna learn a secret trick? Here is a quick YouTube video 

Tips for Hi-Hat Mastery

To master hi-hat, we have compiled a list of 8 tips.

Practice Consistently

For hi-hat mastery, consistent practice is a must. With practice on a regular basis with the required consistently, the player's skill is increased, and he learns new things every day in the process.

It is not mandatory to do the same kind of practice. You can practice several things and work on difficult things.

Gradually Increase Your Speed

The recommended practices are avoiding a quick increase in speed, progressing gradually, and increasing your speed. 

At the start, you should try to practice your hi-hat pattern at a slow tempo.This will help you master the practice process and gain confidence about what you are playing. And when you are confident enough, you can gradually increase the speed.

This approach helps prioritize precision in the process, thus helping you gain more confidence.

Active Listening

Active listening is another tip that helps a lot in hi-hat mastery. When you constantly listen to the professionals in the field, you become accustomed to the various music genres, and you tend to understand different styles of play and minute details, which helps you learn a lot.

Then, by actively listening and incorporating these techniques into your own play style, you can benefit from this tip.

Metronome Use

Using a metronome while practicing is another tip that helps a great deal in your hi-hat mastery journey.

While using metronome in practice you can improve a lot on your timing and the rhythm. You can experiment with the different speeds and the various patterns. So, this will help a great deal overall.  

Record and Listen to Yourself.

Performing a self-test and review is also a great method to analyze your mistakes and good points.

You must record yourself while you are in your practice sessions. Then, by actively listening to your recording, you can find out what areas you need to focus on, such as consistency and dynamics. And then work on those things.

Stay Relaxed

Being relaxed and comfortable while playing can help a great deal. For hi-hat mastery, you need to have a lesser amount of tension in your arms and hands. 

When you have a relaxed grip, and you are comfortable, you can allow the stick to rebound more naturally, and you will have better control over your performance.

Factors for Finding the Right Hi-Hat Stand

There are six factors to consider when finding the right hi-hat stand.

Stability

The stability of the stand helps ensure consistent performance in drumming sessions. To find out whether the stand is stable, you can look at factors like base plate design and the overall material of the construction.

Both these factors help ensure that the stand gets firmly attached to its place while you are doing drumming practice.

Adjustability

The adjustability of the stand is a crucial factor to keep an eye on. The adjustability of the stand helps customize the stand according to your own angle, height, and tension of the cymbals.

This personalization of the instrument allows you to play different styles with this factor.

Durability

The durability factor of the hi-hat stand helps in selecting a stand that will last longer and can endure and withstand wear and tear by the frequent usage.

A high-hat stand that is made of durable, heavy-duty material makes life easier for the drummer as they don’t have to continually change the stand.

Leg Configuration

The leg configuration is also a factor to consider. The stands come with two and three-leg configurations.

A three-legged configuration is commonly used for better stability b, but it makes the product a bit bulkier and takes up more room. The two-legged configuration of the stand helps in the sy setup and is quite compatible with the double pedals.

Foot Pedal Features & Design

The foot pedal feature and the design are crucial in selecting the right hi-hat stand for yourself.

The footboard helps improve the player’s experience.

Apart from that, there are some stands that are also equipped with interchangeable cams and tension adjustment features.

How a Right Hi Hat Stand Elevates Your Performance

A right hi-hat stand can elevate by providing you with the appropriate functionality and comfort.With the advanced features, you can really uplift your skills and elevate your performance.

Here are some features of the right hi-hat stand that help in performance  

Consistent Stability

The consistent stability of the hihi-hat stand helps elevate performance by ensuring the cymbals remain in place. During intense play without solid stability, there is a higher chance that the performance is affected. 

Footboard Comfort

The footboard comfort helps elevate the performance. When you are comfortable, and your feet are at ease, you can play for an extended period of time without getting tired and exhausted. So, it helps elevate the overall performance.

Responsive Pedal Action

Responsive pedal action is another reason for improved or enhanced performance when using the right hi-hat stand.

With responsive, smooth pedal drive, you get help in precise control over the hi-hat cymbals. It helps elevate your performance, whether playing complex patterns or simple beats.  

Best Hi-Hat Stands for Every Drummer 

We have compiled six of the best hi-hat stand products.

Griffin Hi-Hat Stand   

                                                                                                                                  

The Griffin Hi-Hat stand is an adjustable stand that helps adjust height according to your requirements.

The stands come with a chain pull pedal; hence, you get more sensitivity, which helps produce better sound.

Specification

• The design is quite sturdy and reliable due to the double-braced legs of the stand, and it has a tripod stand design.
• Have the memory lock so you can fix it afterward, as well as make your adjustments.
• Height adjustability from 24-39 inches.
• Gross weight: 6 pounds.

 

Pros

• The stand is relatively stable due to the tripod design and double-branched legs. And helps in intense play.
• The stand is quite durable.
• With the durable construction material, the light weight of transportation is not an issue.

Cons

• The stand might feel bulkier.
• Not for space compact places or studios.

 

2 Leg Hi-Hat Stand

                                         

      Image sourced from Reddit

The two-leg hi-hat stand is a two-leg to no-leg convertible hi-hat stand. It has rotating double-branched legs that can rotate at a 360-degree angle.

Specifications

• There is a spring tension adjustment knob that helps in the spring tension adjustment. So, the drummer can turn it left, which is suitable for increasing and decreasing the tension.
• The legs have a 360-degree turn, which helps in space management.
• The height level is flexible from 27 to 38 inches.
• The leg length is 18 inches
• The gross weight of the stand is 12 pounds.

 

Pros

• This Hi-Hat stand is the best for congested spaces with 360-degree rotation.
• The setup is quite flexible.

Cons

• Less stability in no-leg mode.
• There is no intense play in no leg mode.

Here is what our client “Kayode Makuachukwu” says about this 2 leg hi hat stand.

Solid hi hat Stand.

Solid hi hat stand that is a nice addition to my Alesis DM10 mkii kit and Goedrum hi hat controller. Love that the legs rotate 360 degrees to fit within a confined space so I can have my left kick pedal in an ideal location next to my snare stand. Pedal/chain action feels good and smooth. Very easy to adjust the tension of the pedal also. Height adjustment of the high hit location is very good too. Really happy with this stand.

Remote Hi-Hat Stand

                                               

  Image sourced from Reddit

The Remote Hi-Hat stand has an adjustable tension system and a complete metal construction.  

The remote hi-hat stand also has a long flexible cable that helps with the fast response.

Specifications

• The hi-hat stand is all metal constructed with a 28 mm hi-hat pipe diameter.
• The stand has a 4.5 ft-long cable.
• The gross weight is 10 pounds.

 

Pros

• The Long cable generates a lightning-fast response.
• A double-locking spring tension rod knob helps in the tension adjustment. You have five settings from 0-4 to find the best one.
• The step-up is quite flexible.

Cons

• The cable mechanism may be complex for some users.
• It’s not for you if you are looking for standard designs.

 

Hi-Hat Clutch Mount Deluxe Version

                                                      

   Image sourced from Reddit

The hi-hat clutch mount is a universal fit clutch. It can adapt to almost all hi-hat rods, even those with thicknesses up to 8mm.

Specifications

• It is made of heavy-duty alloy metal.
• The product has two felt pads, two adjustment nuts, one bottom red fixing nut, top hi-hat rod adjustment knob.
• The length and the gross weight are 3m and 4 ounces.

 

Pros

• The clutch is durable and sturdy as it is made of metal alloy.
• The product provides a secure, solid grip. It can effectively secure hi-hat cymbals.

Cons

• The product is a universal fit but for standard rods.
• It’s not for you if you have non-standard rods.

 

Cymbal Stand Hardware Pack 4 Pieces

                                                   

The cymbal hardware pack 4 product includes four stands with memory locks and rubber-tipped feet.

Specifications

• The product has four stands, namely;
• Snare Drum Stand Model #S80
• Hi-Hat Cymbal Stand Model# H80
• Straight Cymbal Stand Model# C80
• Cymbal Boom Stand Model# B80

 

Pros

• The product provides a comprehensive solution with almost all the needed stands.
• The stands have 22 mm base pipe diameters, making them relatively stable. 

Cons

• It is not for you if you are looking for only one or two stands.
• The product may seem inflexible to some users.

Here is a customer testimonial from our happy client  “Bill Tizikara”.

“Solid hi hat Stand.

Solid hi hat stand that is a nice addition to my Alesis DM10 mkii kit and Goedrum hi hat controller. Love that the legs rotate 360 degrees to fit within a confined space so I can have my left kick pedal in an ideal location next to my snare stand. Pedal/chain action feels good and smooth. Very easy to adjust the tension of the pedal also. Height adjustment of the high hit location is very good too. Really happy with this stand.”

Drum Hardware Pack 6 Pieces

                                                

 Image sourced from reddit

The drum hardware pack 6 provides four stands and a kick pedal. It also has a throne. It provides everything a drum needs.

Specifications

The product has 

• Snare Drum Stand Model #S80
• Hi-Hat Cymbal Stand Model# H80
• Straight Cymbal Stand Model# C80
• Cymbal Boom Stand Model# B80
• Single Kick Drum Pedal Model# P200
• Drum Throne Stool model# T100

 

Pros

• The drum hardware pack of 6 provides a complete setup for a drummer at an affordable price. 
• It has a complete kit set up with all the requirements.

Cons

• It’s not for you if you want one or two stands.
• It might be bulkier if you want to transport it.

Here is a comparison table of the various hi hat stands.

Product	Best For	Specification	Pros	Cons
Griffin Hi-Hat Stand	This product is best one for the Reliability and adjustability	The height is Adjustable, chain pull, double-braced.	The pros are the Stability, durability and ease of transport.	May feel bulkier to some users.
2 Leg Hi-Hat Stand	Best if you have a Space-constrained setup or any space issue	The specific features are its rotating legs, spring adjustment and no-leg option.	Space-saving and its flexibility.	Lacks stability in no-leg mode.
Remote Hi-Hat Stand	Flexible and you can do optimal positioning easily.	Its long cable, adjustable tension and weighted plates are special features.	The setup is quite flexible.	Cable used is a bit complex
Hi-Hat Clutch Mount Deluxe version	Best for securing hi-hat cymbals.	Special features are alloy metal, universal fit and felt pads.	It is highly durable with a secure overall grip.	Non-standard rod compatibility is one major con.
Cymbal Stand hardware Pack 4 pieces	Best for your hardware needs	It includes four stands, memory locks and a rubber feet	It is a Comprehensive and stable product.	Configuration may feel limited.
Drum Hardware Pack 6 pieces	Best in case you need a full kit setup.	It includes six pieces, memory locks, and a throne.	It is a complete setup and is portable.	Bulky when you have to  transport them.

Why Choose GreekStand for the Hi Hat Stand ?

Greeks and provides customers with one of the best Hi-Hat stands. They are versatile and are truly functional.

We provide you with quality and value-for-money products, so opting for Greek stands is not a bad move. We have hi-hat stands from brands like GRIFFIN, which are trusted brands in the domain.

So what are you waiting for? Go grab your hi-hat stand now.