A much-neglected instrument, I reckon. Not one I normally pay much attention to. But I had on Atomic by Blondie earlier and was diggin' the hi-hat on the verses. Rapture's pretty good too, so I reckon Clem Burke is a man who knows his way around a kit. I was delighted when my iTunes gave me California by Phantom Planet a couple of tracks later. It's pretty standard indie fare, but there's a great open thwack in the middle of the verse that sounds like being sucked into a spaceship. But come on - it's two cymbals stuck together, surely there's a world of possibilities out there?
Who and what should I seek out next?
― Ismael Klata, Monday, 25 August 2008 15:43 (seventeen years ago)
"none shall escape the judgement" by johnny clarke.
― the next grozart, Monday, 25 August 2008 15:45 (seventeen years ago)
"Red Rain" by Peter Gabriel
― Whiney G. Weingarten, Monday, 25 August 2008 15:55 (seventeen years ago)
-- Whiney G. Weingarten, Monday, August 25, 2008 10:55 AM (1 hour ago) Bookmark Link
Or basically every song featuring Stewart Copeland for that matter... The guy's a master of the hi-hat!
― Moodles, Monday, 25 August 2008 17:10 (seventeen years ago)
That Johnny Clarke tune is great! That's what I had in mind, unusual uses of the hi-hat like shoving it right at the front of the mix. Red Rain is OK too, but it becomes kind of unnoticeable after the cool intro. Now, how about some more unusual rhythms?
― Ismael Klata, Monday, 25 August 2008 17:18 (seventeen years ago)
Ah yes, Red Rain does bring to mind Walking on the Moon now you mention it
― Ismael Klata, Monday, 25 August 2008 17:19 (seventeen years ago)
PS drummers, is it a hard instrument to play?
It's usually the last thing people get down, actually
― Whiney G. Weingarten, Monday, 25 August 2008 17:22 (seventeen years ago)
because it's on the left foot, and it's the only thing you can play with three limbs
― Whiney G. Weingarten, Monday, 25 August 2008 17:23 (seventeen years ago)
It's also the easiest thing to get broken on tour.
― Whiney G. Weingarten, Monday, 25 August 2008 17:24 (seventeen years ago)
it's not hard to play. it just takes a lot more finesse to get certain tones out of a hi-hat. left/right hands + left foot coordination can do wonders.
― cutty, Monday, 25 August 2008 17:25 (seventeen years ago)
I always liked the hi-hats on Primus's "Tommy The Cat" and "To Defy The Laws Of Tradition" when I was a teenager.
― Whiney G. Weingarten, Monday, 25 August 2008 17:26 (seventeen years ago)
rollerbeef is a hi-hat MANIAC.
― libcrypt, Monday, 25 August 2008 17:29 (seventeen years ago)
It fascinated me in the Fool's Gold video how Reni would switch hands so that sometimes he'd be playing snare with his left and hi-hat with his right, and sometimes the other way round. I'm listening to the rhythm track now though, and it sounds more like it's been cobbled together from samples, so maybe that was just for the cameras
― Ismael Klata, Monday, 25 August 2008 17:30 (seventeen years ago)
Walk This Way to thead.
― libcrypt, Monday, 25 August 2008 17:32 (seventeen years ago)
i play the hihat almost to the exclusion of all other cymbals. there's too many songs to list. reggae and funk to thread, basically.
― Granny Dainger, Monday, 25 August 2008 17:37 (seventeen years ago)
Tony Allen!
― strgn, Monday, 25 August 2008 17:49 (seventeen years ago)
http://blogs.suntimes.com/scanners/mcjcp.jpg
― Myonga Vön Bontee, Monday, 25 August 2008 17:50 (seventeen years ago)
does techno count? if so:
Aril Brikha!
― henry s, Monday, 25 August 2008 17:50 (seventeen years ago)
i always thought it was weird that the guy from Run On put in the liner notes "this album was made entirely without hi-hats." i wonder what he had against them.
― mizzell, Monday, 25 August 2008 17:51 (seventeen years ago)
Yes, interested in all things xp. How about Elevation by Television? (It just came on my iTunes.) I'd never noticed until this thread, but now almost all of Marquee Moon's drums sound really strange to me, and about half of them have pretty complicated hi-hat patterns
― Ismael Klata, Monday, 25 August 2008 17:54 (seventeen years ago)
Seriously, though, Beefheart's Trout Mask Replica is one of the alltime-great hi-hat albums - even though they sound a bit weird on occasion, due to Drumbo's muffling them with circular bits of cardboard.
― Myonga Vön Bontee, Monday, 25 August 2008 18:13 (seventeen years ago)
http://bp2.blogger.com/_jT7u1Bq52JU/SBtQORz4PSI/AAAAAAAAAD8/P4--x2eZ5IU/s1600-h/The+Warriors+80.jpg
― dad a, Monday, 25 August 2008 18:22 (seventeen years ago)
The breakdown in the middle of "Sinner" by Judas Priest has incredible hi-hat work by session drummer extraordinaire Simon Phillips.
― Nate Carson, Monday, 25 August 2008 20:44 (seventeen years ago)
Seek: the complete recorded works of Carlton Barrett
― DLee, Monday, 25 August 2008 21:41 (seventeen years ago)
in reggae it's called the Flying Cymbal. google has answers and examples.
― brotherlovesdub, Monday, 25 August 2008 22:15 (seventeen years ago)
also, Carl Craig, Black Dog, B.12 rule hi hat programming.
Fine Time - New Order
― brotherlovesdub, Monday, 25 August 2008 22:17 (seventeen years ago)
Wow forgot about that. I think half the time he was playing with the snare off the snare drum too. Just trying to do something different I guess?
― call all destroyer, Monday, 25 August 2008 22:21 (seventeen years ago)
Smashing Pumpkins "1979"
― Curt1s Stephens, Monday, 25 August 2008 22:25 (seventeen years ago)
http://thehighhat.com/
― Oilyrags, Monday, 25 August 2008 22:43 (seventeen years ago)
Ya's fancy pants, alla ya's!
― rollerbeef, Monday, 20 October 2008 22:32 (seventeen years ago)
― rollerbeef, Monday, 20 October 2008 22:35 (seventeen years ago)
Almost forgot: If you like hi-hat, then Flying Rhythms' N'DANKA N'DANKA album is what you need, if you can find it.
― DLee, Tuesday, 21 October 2008 01:11 (seventeen years ago)
Speaking of flying:
http://tinyurl.com/5vpj6v
That passage from Michael Veal's Dub book is great. Had a Tubby compilation on the headphones this weekend and he really did make fantastic use of the 'flying cymbal' sound.
― brotherlovesdub, Tuesday, 21 October 2008 02:41 (seventeen years ago)
Camper Van Beethoven's Our Beloved Revolutionary Sweetheart is a great hi-hat album start to finish. Subtle and awesome.
― staggerlee, Wednesday, 22 October 2008 02:14 (seventeen years ago)
Question I've always had that the New Order poll countdown reminded me of: where did the 16th-notes-on-the-high-hat beat originate, or at least what is the earliest instance you are aware of? I mean that type of beat so prevalent in disco/post punk but seemingly absent before then.
― anonanon, Tuesday, 4 June 2013 00:12 (twelve years ago)
you mean the uptempo 16 beat? Pretty sure it appears in pre-Disco R&B and funk songs at slower tempos
― i don't even have an internet (Hurting 2), Tuesday, 4 June 2013 01:25 (twelve years ago)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zwBcvvVBck8
― A True White Kid that can Jump (Granny Dainger), Tuesday, 4 June 2013 01:34 (twelve years ago)
my favorite part of drumming, no question
yeah I'm mainly wondering who if anyone where the pioneers of the distinctive both hands on the hi hat sound
― anonanon, Tuesday, 4 June 2013 01:43 (twelve years ago)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pZZifVTzMdA
― A True White Kid that can Jump (Granny Dainger), Tuesday, 4 June 2013 01:49 (twelve years ago)
could swear I've heard examples of that hi hat usage earlier but struggling to come up w/any
― A True White Kid that can Jump (Granny Dainger), Tuesday, 4 June 2013 01:52 (twelve years ago)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A3ckIovZRwkhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m1gqhU1Mmqs
― A True White Kid that can Jump (Granny Dainger), Tuesday, 4 June 2013 01:55 (twelve years ago)
otm
― i don't even have an internet (Hurting 2), Tuesday, 4 June 2013 02:01 (twelve years ago)
Another track with Mike Clark:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AY9rhaYkud0
― i don't even have an internet (Hurting 2), Tuesday, 4 June 2013 02:05 (twelve years ago)
Don't know exactly what you're referring to anonanon but here's a nice 16th note hihat beat
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Wlz_bKHi9s
― A True White Kid that can Jump (Granny Dainger), Tuesday, 4 June 2013 02:07 (twelve years ago)
ha I knew that was gonna be Palm Grease, beat me to it
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sZZLLYEzKE8
― i don't even have an internet (Hurting 2), Tuesday, 4 June 2013 02:09 (twelve years ago)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nPNU9G4zwks
― A True White Kid that can Jump (Granny Dainger), Tuesday, 4 June 2013 02:11 (twelve years ago)
just realized "superstition" has some proto double hand hi hat -- anything earlier than that?
oddly wiki is telling me jeff beck came up with that particular drum beat
― anonanon, Tuesday, 4 June 2013 02:11 (twelve years ago)
I want to see the full doc or whatever that Gadd bit is from
― A True White Kid that can Jump (Granny Dainger), Tuesday, 4 June 2013 02:13 (twelve years ago)
granny, I feel like you can tell when it's played with both hands, sounds different, looser. Palm grease is a good call, seems to fit the bill whereas that Barry White sounds like it's played with one hand, unless I'm imagining it
― anonanon, Tuesday, 4 June 2013 02:15 (twelve years ago)
of course there's this:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p0liXaFvsLc
― i don't even have an internet (Hurting 2), Tuesday, 4 June 2013 02:16 (twelve years ago)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p0liXaFvsLc
(in terms of cool hi-hat I mean, not 16-beat hi-hat)
1971https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nFvRvSxsW-I
― A True White Kid that can Jump (Granny Dainger), Tuesday, 4 June 2013 02:17 (twelve years ago)
― anonanon, Monday, June 3, 2013 10:11 PM Bookmark Flag Post Permalink
1969https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dNP8tbDMZNE
― i don't even have an internet (Hurting 2), Tuesday, 4 June 2013 02:18 (twelve years ago)
oh, sorry not double hand though. But I don't think Superstition is either?
― i don't even have an internet (Hurting 2), Tuesday, 4 June 2013 02:19 (twelve years ago)
also the drummer on superstition doesn't do four sixteenth notes, it's more of a swing-pattern-over-rock-beat thing.
― i don't even have an internet (Hurting 2), Tuesday, 4 June 2013 02:20 (twelve years ago)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OvvwGvaGLGY
― cock chirea, Tuesday, 4 June 2013 02:21 (twelve years ago)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=etwIu8-FlGU
― A True White Kid that can Jump (Granny Dainger), Tuesday, 4 June 2013 02:26 (twelve years ago)
hi-hat is also one of the best ways to tell a low-quality recording
― i don't even have an internet (Hurting 2), Tuesday, 4 June 2013 02:27 (twelve years ago)
or low-quality mp3 of a recording, rather
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WWbzaylGzlY
― A True White Kid that can Jump (Granny Dainger), Tuesday, 4 June 2013 02:28 (twelve years ago)
I prefer a dirty sounding hi-hat
― A True White Kid that can Jump (Granny Dainger), Tuesday, 4 June 2013 02:29 (twelve years ago)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g4A5JnworAk
― A True White Kid that can Jump (Granny Dainger), Tuesday, 4 June 2013 02:31 (twelve years ago)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aMv8ZQ8BL3s
― A True White Kid that can Jump (Granny Dainger), Tuesday, 4 June 2013 02:33 (twelve years ago)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YBfGfEVIS_M
― A True White Kid that can Jump (Granny Dainger), Tuesday, 4 June 2013 02:35 (twelve years ago)
dubbing the hi-hat
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K5pnveH_A7s
― A True White Kid that can Jump (Granny Dainger), Tuesday, 4 June 2013 02:40 (twelve years ago)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EWdj-4-CJ8o
― A True White Kid that can Jump (Granny Dainger), Tuesday, 4 June 2013 02:44 (twelve years ago)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gh4jOWYP8EM
― A True White Kid that can Jump (Granny Dainger), Tuesday, 4 June 2013 03:05 (twelve years ago)
most Chimurenga has a prominent uptempo 16th notes hi-hat beat
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2u4NqiP_Oko
― A True White Kid that can Jump (Granny Dainger), Tuesday, 4 June 2013 03:09 (twelve years ago)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eR4jCj4U7Tg
― cock chirea, Tuesday, 4 June 2013 03:41 (twelve years ago)
hey there we go, can't play that with one hand
― anonanon, Tuesday, 4 June 2013 03:44 (twelve years ago)
is there some seminal disco song that was first to take two hands to the high hats over four on the floor?
― anonanon, Tuesday, 4 June 2013 03:50 (twelve years ago)
hi-hat is also big in Kenyan benga music
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=35qqsiTLZrUhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5m_vYGKLTH8
― i don't even have an internet (Hurting 2), Tuesday, 4 June 2013 03:50 (twelve years ago)
This is 1965
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H6_BWNzThJY
And 1969
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gT1e2_uTwmI
― something of an astrological coup (tipsy mothra), Tuesday, 4 June 2013 04:03 (twelve years ago)
"Sinnerman" makes me suspect some gospel roots to the hi-hat 16ths, but I can't think of examples off the top of my head.
― something of an astrological coup (tipsy mothra), Tuesday, 4 June 2013 04:06 (twelve years ago)
the feel on sinnerman is different too -- accents on the "ands" instead of on the downbeats.
― i don't even have an internet (Hurting 2), Tuesday, 4 June 2013 04:13 (twelve years ago)
Yup, it's not a funk groove yet. That's what makes me wonder if it came out of church originally. But I'm just speculating.
― something of an astrological coup (tipsy mothra), Tuesday, 4 June 2013 04:21 (twelve years ago)
I notice these early instances it's generally used more like a engine revving type effect, but someone put a stiff 4/4 kick beneath it and that is the intrepid hi hat pioneer I am searching for
― anonanon, Tuesday, 4 June 2013 04:37 (twelve years ago)
in 1972, the same year as Soul Makossa (sometimes called the "first disco song," which I'm not so sure about), the Fatback Band released this, which has the four-on-the-floor feel but not the 16th notes on the hi-hat
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X7vKI3I50-E
― i don't even have an internet (Hurting 2), Tuesday, 4 June 2013 04:45 (twelve years ago)
hey soul makossa itself has what sounds like a mostly double hand hi hat thing going on there. if this is one of the seminal disco records, in line with granny's many youtubes above, disco 16th notes maybe do derive from this afrobeat/afrofunk strand
― anonanon, Tuesday, 4 June 2013 05:04 (twelve years ago)
This is some of the best hi hat action I know of at :45https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=43rGOqu_QL0
― why pee on the beat (Spottie_Ottie_Dope), Tuesday, 4 June 2013 05:09 (twelve years ago)
nice Idris up there
― A True White Kid that can Jump (Granny Dainger), Tuesday, 4 June 2013 05:15 (twelve years ago)
this one is early '74 and has a steady two handed hi-hat beat
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YdDALuknybo
― cock chirea, Tuesday, 4 June 2013 05:19 (twelve years ago)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aZdE4kpr8lU
― cock chirea, Tuesday, 4 June 2013 05:29 (twelve years ago)
example of a "steppers" reggae beat, late 70s. hi-hat is a bit more skittery than a straight 16ths
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5rgS57eymbE
― A True White Kid that can Jump (Granny Dainger), Tuesday, 4 June 2013 05:31 (twelve years ago)
rock your baby is otm, that is one stiff ass two handed hi hat proto disco beat
― anonanon, Tuesday, 4 June 2013 05:36 (twelve years ago)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YwZ_9V37KxA
― A True White Kid that can Jump (Granny Dainger), Tuesday, 4 June 2013 05:46 (twelve years ago)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-pcxltHyBqQ
― A True White Kid that can Jump (Granny Dainger), Tuesday, 4 June 2013 05:48 (twelve years ago)
speaking of George McCrae, Gwen McCrae recorded some stuff the same year w/some of the same musicians:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8lAkcdyh3iI
― ttyih boi (crüt), Tuesday, 4 June 2013 05:53 (twelve years ago)
that's good...and I didn't even realize I had it in my itunes, but just that song. is there a whole album?
― A True White Kid that can Jump (Granny Dainger), Tuesday, 4 June 2013 06:01 (twelve years ago)
that pablo gad vid ist rad, reminds me of janet kay's silly games which has some wicked hi-hat rolls
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FdytUPas0ro
drummie zeb is da man, easily one of my 2 or 3 fave reggae drummers
― cock chirea, Tuesday, 4 June 2013 06:09 (twelve years ago)
^ yesss. such a nice light touch on the hi-hat there.
― A True White Kid that can Jump (Granny Dainger), Tuesday, 4 June 2013 06:15 (twelve years ago)
in re Rock Your Baby, 1974 is also the year Everybody was Kung Fu Fighting came out
― i don't even have an internet (Hurting 2), Tuesday, 4 June 2013 14:21 (twelve years ago)
has shh/peaceful been posted yet?
― precious bonsai children of new york (Jordan), Tuesday, 4 June 2013 15:34 (twelve years ago)
my favorite both-hands-on-the-hi-hat groove ('64):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SlBuc863hU0
― precious bonsai children of new york (Jordan), Tuesday, 4 June 2013 15:35 (twelve years ago)
so much good music on this thread.that smokey johnson groove is amazing.
― m0stlyClean, Wednesday, 5 June 2013 02:57 (twelve years ago)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WKd_XTFhGxo
― A True White Kid that can Jump (Granny Dainger), Wednesday, 5 June 2013 07:19 (twelve years ago)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sZLGCAn9ot0
― ᶓ͠סּᴥ͠סּᶔ ᶓͼ᷆ₓͼ᷇ᶔ (gr8080), Tuesday, 16 July 2013 16:51 (twelve years ago)
Is that Earl Palmer on the Smokey Johnson track? Incredible.
― keep clams and jive on (man alive), Sunday, 30 August 2015 03:28 (ten years ago)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1jGYx0hMjM0
― brimstead, Sunday, 30 August 2015 04:13 (ten years ago)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UBW-7uI5ABw
― brimstead, Sunday, 30 August 2015 04:18 (ten years ago)
I love african guitar pop where the groove is almost all on the hi-hat
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ecdUDfUgSK4
― keep clams and jive on (man alive), Monday, 31 August 2015 02:26 (ten years ago)
the beat I mean