Cymbals are a common percussion instrument. Cymbals consist of thin, normally round plates of various alloys; see cymbal making for a discussion of their manufacture. The majority of cymbals are of indefinite pitch, although small disc-shaped cymbals based on ancient designs sound a definite note (see: crotales). Cymbals are used in many ensembles ranging from the orchestra, percussion ensembles, jazz bands, heavy metal bands, and marching groups. Drum kits usually incorporate at least a crash, ride or crash/ride, and a pair of hi-hat cymbals.
The word cymbal is derived from the Latin cymbalum, which is the latinisation of the Greek word κύμβαλον (kumbalon), "cymbal", which in turn derives from κύμβος (kumbos), "cup".
The anatomy of the cymbal plays a large part in the sound it creates. The hole is drilled in the center of the cymbal and it is used to either mount the cymbal on a stand or straps (for hand playing). The bell, dome, or cup is the raised section immediately surrounding the hole. The bell produces a higher "pinging" pitch than the rest of the cymbal. The bow is the rest of the surface surrounding the bell. The bow is sometimes described in two areas: the ride and crash area. The ride area is the thicker section closer to the bell while the crash area is the thinner tapering section near the edge. The edge or rim is the immediate circumference of the cymbal.
Vic Firth is an American musician and is the founder of Vic Firth Company (formerly Vic Firth, Inc.), a percussion stick and mallet manufacturing company that he started in 1963. The company bills itself as the world's largest manufacturer of drum sticks and mallets. Headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts, the company's products are manufactured in Newport, Maine.
On December 20, 2010, it was announced that Vic Firth, Inc. had merged with Avedis Zildjian Company. According to the announcement, both companies will continue to run autonomously.
Vic Firth was born June 2, 1930, in Winchester, Massachusetts. He was raised in Maine by parents Everett E. and Rosemary Firth. Son of a successful trumpet player, he started learning the cornet from the age of four, turning over to percussion at an older age, as well as learning to play the trombone, clarinet, piano, and studying music arrangement. When he reached high school he was a full time percussionist, creating an 18-piece band at the age of 16. He played a variety of percussion instruments such as vibraphone, timpani and the drum set. Firth is now an accomplished percussionist with his own percussion corporation that produces sticks and mallets.
Benny Greb (born on June 13, 1980 in Augsburg, Germany) is a prolific German drummer and clinician. He started playing the drums at age six and began taking lessons at age twelve. He plays a large variety of music and can be seen playing rock with Stoppok and The Ron Spielman Trio, jazz with The Benny Greb Brass Band and Sabri Tulug Tirpan, funk with Jerobeam, reggae with Bobby McFerrin, fusion with the NDR Big Band on their Frank Zappa Project, with 3erGezimmeR and Wayne Krantz, and acoustic punk with Strom & Wasser. He has also performed at the Modern Drummer Festival 2010 and at many clinics and drum festivals around the world. Greb is endorsed by Meinl Percussion and has a signature line of Vintage Series cymbals including the "Sand Ride" and "Sand Hats," both known for their sandblasted finishes.
Greb appeared on the scene in 2009 with his Hudson Music DVD "The Language of Drumming".
Lonely nights again
Suddenly your face has disappeared
In front my eyes
The light that cheers my soul
Fill in the emptiness of my heart
My pride stays alive
I don't believe in love no more
I can't release my emotions
So now it's time to open all the doors
Across the fear
I feel that I can win
I wanna live
I wanna fly
To recover all my dreams
High like an eagle
Eagles flying to the sky
So long
I need to find again my hope
Madness, desire, blood
Sadness, anger
Dreams about happiness, cry and pain
I'm waiting for a reaction from somebody
All people are screaming, now I can't hear you voice
All people are feeling, they don't have many choice
All people are dreaming, about a better world
So many ways to drop him down
Conviction made aware
This pain is hard and burst my heart
Infecting all our hope
Deceptions
Illusions
This I will always have
Sometimes I want to die
Can you remember about the promise you've made me
I'm trying to find out, a clear way
Help me to get out of this darkness I'm scared
I swear that I don't wanna do it for bad
Help me, save me, I can't cry anymore
Save my soul
Open my eyes and tell me what I must do
Guide me to away, I could survive
All what I feeling in my heart is sadness and pain
Everything in my life is so stange
Help me, save me, I can't cry anymore
To set me free, I'm sorry, I can't open this doo
Trying to fly with my mind and soul
To the sky, save my soul
One more time, I can't support this lies
In my life, save my soul
How could I try to forget you
If I can't stop loving you...
I've been waiting for so long darling
And I coudn't leave you now
Our lives are so together
And for yo we are just friends...
I can tell you my devotion
'Cause I'm begging for your love
My life is all yours,
My love is all yours,
My life's all yours,
The love's all yours,
That I just can't do it now...
Baby you must be mine tonight
I can't wait you anymore
'Cause my heart is crying hard for you
We must make love all the night
In my life, I just loved one time
And I'm sure it must be you
And now, I will invite you to...
Make love through the night...
I hope to live more to take care of you
I can wonder why to me is not enough
I was living without reason, when I saw you
You changed my mind and soul,
You changed all my life
I have no choice
I must close my eyes
To give all my love
Don't be afraid
It's always the same
I lost my mind
And when the night falls I try to keep the faith
Someday I will know what you really mean
I need to find someway I gotta have you
I dream all the time
I wanna make you happy
Always by my side
Always together
It's a hard felling (that) I can't understand
Now doesn't matter, I'm ready to move on
It's a hard feeling (that) I can't understand
It's unfair, but together we can win
Look at the sky and tell me what you see ?
Warplanes flying to kill the enemy
In the name of their fatherland
People are dying everywhere
All the difference we can't forget
Allienation we can't allow
If we try to save the world
And change towards a new curse
(What's the meaning of the signs)
There's no time we've change our minds
Turn life into a dream
In the streets the danger is near
Furious people kill themselves for fear
The wickedness will rule the man
Life became a hell 'cause of the greed
(I can't believe, why do they it?)
I think they will never change
Just war, just pain
Look out
Afraid, so many lies
No doubt
The flames in their eyes
Reveal the caos
The order is unreal
Now I have a lot of time
To remember all I saw
Of reality that will never be back
Fine, my hands did all my wishes
I've done all I could for pride
But I didn't think, where it would take me on
Time, I feel there's no time
Great soul is in the other side
The only one i didn't try to save
Truth and Guiltlessness don't die
Somewhere they will survive
So their meaning will shine making sense again
Cry! My World has disappeared
I'll never see the sky
And my heart it was so hard it was so hard
Like a stone
But, I still feel hope inside
The illusion on my mind
And now I'm thinking of the meaning again
Light! The flash lights in my heart
Great feelings deep inside
In my mind I see the World
Like a crowd
Life! The nature will never die
I can see another day
In my heart I feel the Earth
Like a soul
Days always begin
With the breath
In the circle of form
Everything returns to preset
And since the first day
When I planted the dream's grain
I saw the birth of sea of hope
To meet the shore
Look around!
What can you see?
Now look beyond!
To find your dreams
The sun dance with the trees
Their music is the wind
We're drifting in the sea of madness
Just let it be
Pass through the gate
The gate of the reason
Into a dream
The traveller
Imagine the future
I don't like what I see there
From eastward to westward
Destruction desolated us all
Just hating and raging
Feel up there desperate minds
Not taking, just giving
Would it be the best way
Not keeping, just sharing
Maybe just I'm a dreamer...
Devastating everywhere
The judgement day came through
But on contrary of what we thought
The evil where left behind
All yours tears keep falling down
But no one really seems to care
All the sinners paid by staying alive
But now the blessed rest in paradise
I tried to forgive the things you've done
Maybe you don't believe but I tried so hard
I know these days are gone, but they don't let me go
I just can't believe in the shits we've done
In the name of the Lord, somebody would say
But they've never excuse their blamed hearts
They never mind about life they never mind about death
You know life always seems just like steps
Sometimes I wonder about the distant future
All I can see's just darkness and pain
The sky is the limit, the limit of what
This fucking World's near of it's end
In the name of the Lord, somebody would say
But they'd never excuse their blamed hearts
Never mind, never mind it will never happen again
I will kill someone if they try again
I will never change my mind again
The money and the power, the couple of death
Are always letting people down to ruin
No matter we try, no matter we try
They do come back over and over again
I cannot believe. I can't understand
People are trying to destroy our World
I know they can do. I know they will do
They are planning to live on the Moon
But we could save our World
We don't have to be like Mars
We owe this to our children
They have an entire life to pass through
Do not destroy
Do not pollute
It must not have been right
So forever, goodnight