How to get a higher quality sound from my (cheap) hi-hat?
I've been using a cheap used drum kit for the past 8 months or so. It doesn't get the greatest sound, but it gets me by and it's good for practice.
The only complaint I really have is that the hi-hat makes a horrible clanging sound (even when closed), instead of the nice tss sound that you expect from a closed hi-hat.
Now perhaps the real answer to this question is buy a better hi-hat, but falling short of that are there any tweaks I can make/techniques I can follow to get a better sound out of the hi-hat?
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To check: the top hi-hat cymbal needs to be fairly tight on its fixings. They can come loose, allowing too much movement.
There is an adjustment for the angle of the lower cymbal underneath it, which works using a small screw. There needs to be some small angle so the two can make more gradual contact. That's down to personal preference but is adjustable. Difficult to ascertain the angle from the video. I occasionally meet a hi-hat with a bent rod, which puts that angle right out of kilter.
The tension you put on the two cymbals is also important, and that's down to your foot, or possibly there's some adjustment on the spring that holds them apart.
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