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Cleaning Cymbals


G-horns

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Yeah. I've read elsewhere about avoiding the logos and I know an abrasive isn't good. I was hoping someone would offer up something that wouldn't take all day, since there are 5 sets to do and the kids are clueless at this age (6th grade).

Honestly, either put in the time, or if you don't wanna take up all day, it's probably not worth doing. Our cymbals in the summer were on a constant cleaning rotation. Especially our racks which were double the cymbals in each one of almost any DCI pit put together. It was basically like a preventive maintenance with them, where they were always being cleaned.

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I am curious about something. After putting all the work in to cleaning and polishing, to help prevent fingerprints, could you wax the cymbals using a pure carnuba wax or even a chrome protector? I am not talking about a cheap "turtle Wax", I am thinking about the high end show car waxes.

Has anyone ever tried this?

I never tried it. I doubt it would change the pitch. In a stadium situation you wouldn't notice the changes my nuclear bomb solution (grinding machine with a cotton buffing wheel and soft metal rosins) or my themonuclear solution (acid based toilet bowl cleansers followed by nuclear bomb method). My gut instinct is that it wouldn't work at all. Brasso and the Zildjian polish leave a slippery film that I suspect is similar to a wax. Even a waxed bumper will show fingerprints. With brass, once the oils from the print sit long enough, the brass discolors.

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Thanks Cavie74 for the insight. Some of us on here are old enough to know what works with 6th grade age level, others haven't had the "experience" yet. I'll get the Zildjian cleaner and convice the kids that it will make the cymbals "sound better" if they are polished.

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Think about that a minute. Yes, they SHOULD learn. Unfortunately, being in 6th grade they'll learn that they don't want to play cymbals in 7th grade. I will get them involved with the cleaning process, but I'm not about to make it a bigger chore than following the horses with a shovel and bucket. I need to keep the desire there so that when they get a little older they'll still be interested in marching percussion. Unfortunately the high school program here is all seniority based with little regard for ability. Our center snare from last year moved to the high school and was given a pair of dirty cymbals with wooden handles for marching band. And don't get me started on the HS's four pitched basses that play unison on everything!

Then instead of making them do it in class, ask them if they want to volunteer to help out after school. Offer extra credit or brownie points or something.

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Groove Juice...

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Then instead of making them do it in class, ask them if they want to volunteer to help out after school. Offer extra credit or brownie points or something.

Class time is not an option. There's more to music than marching band. Right now, my plan is to do ONE plate so I'll have personal experience. Then I'll show them how much better the plates look and we'll make time to clean 'em up.

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Thanks Cavie74 for the insight. Some of us on here are old enough to know what works with 6th grade age level, others haven't had the "experience" yet. I'll get the Zildjian cleaner and convice the kids that it will make the cymbals "sound better" if they are polished.

A little encourgement that they look good playing shiny cymbals will help motivate the kids. Also, go in to the "Tube that You must not name" and search for SCV Cymbal Line clips and show them to the kids. Or look for me in the Cavalier Alumni Corps clips - I'm cymbal number 2! :lol:

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Thanks Cavie74 for the insight. Some of us on here are old enough to know what works with 6th grade age level, others haven't had the "experience" yet. I'll get the Zildjian cleaner and convice the kids that it will make the cymbals "sound better" if they are polished.

Working with middle school perc ensembles most of the past 3 months, I hope that wasn't a comment to me. But, I also know lying to the kids really isn't the best answer either. Convince them it looks best, absolutely, but to send them around for the next however many years thinking it really makes a big difference in sound seems silly. I always wonder where kids learn some of the things they say and do in percussion, no reason to have what I'm assuming is a good instructor feeding them not so accurate information. Although a clean cymbal will essentially ring a little longer in theory, I wouldn't say it makes it sound better...

Class time is not an option. There's more to music than marching band. Right now, my plan is to do ONE plate so I'll have personal experience. Then I'll show them how much better the plates look and we'll make time to clean 'em up.

I love being able to see "There's more to music than marching band". Trying to help flip a program that was very marching band driven, it was just a nice thing to see.

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A little encourgement that they look good playing shiny cymbals will help motivate the kids. Also, go in to the "Tube that You must not name" and search for SCV Cymbal Line clips and show them to the kids. Or look for me in the Cavalier Alumni Corps clips - I'm cymbal number 2! :lol:

Showed 'em the SCV clips from the Zildjian site and 'ube. As we all know - and it is unfortunate - a number of school band directors tend to make it seem like playing snare drum is reserved for the best percussionists while bass and cymbals are for the kids who "try hard" but just don't have the chops. Of course, nothing could be farther from the truth. Fortunately, the band director I'm working with does NOT subscribe to that archaic thinking. IMO, the most exposed individuals in a marching percussion section are the basses if they are playing pitched parts. Next is plates because your mistakes tend to be loud.

I'm supposed to be just the foot guy for the band, but I've managed to get drawn into coaching the drum line with the help of a volunteer who marched with Sunrisers and giving extra help wherever else I'm needed.

Thanks to everyone for all the help.

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Brasso

Brasso is bad. It strips the finish. After over 30 years of cleaning cymbals, the best thing I've found is something called "Kick'N Brass".

It's made by a company named Resource in Dana Point, CA. (949)240-6668. Linda McDonald (Chad Sexton's mom) from Chad Sexton's Drum City recommended this and she was right.

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