I want mellow zills!

[Kharmine]

I'd like to learn to play finger cymbals, but the ones I've heard in person make me cringe because they sound so loud, clangy and piercing.

To me, they're like mariachi bands and bagpipes -- not meant to be played indoors unless it's a cavernous space! But I'm gonna be practicing indoors in smaller rooms so I need "mellow" zills that won't give me tintinitus.

Can anyone recommend any? :think:

 

[Aniseteph]

I think Shira's site has instructions for making "zill mufflers" for just this sort of scenario!

 

[da Sage]

Try listening to the on-line clips of these zills, before you buy your favorite!

Saroyan Mastercrafts

My teacher also recommends experimenting with the position of your hands while playing. You can "cup" the sound out from your body. This is especially important if you bring your hands near your head while playing zills! :shok:

 

[Kharmine]

Thank you all! I shall order some Saroyan zills and make the mufflers suggested!

 

[elle21]

I put masking tape around the edges of one set I have for practice. Keeps 'em nice and quiet. And sticky. Quiet and sticky!

And I used to practice in my car with the other set when I was stuck in traffic on my way to work, with the music up! Ahem, think I better promptly follow that up with a disclaimer about safety and police...!

Or practice with "clicks" rather than full noisy ones. If you cup your hand so that the rim of your "finger" cymbal connects inside the dish of your "thumb" cymbal by using your other fingers to hold the "finger" cymbal at an angle, it makes a dull little click, but it's enough to practice with. I live in a flat and have a flatmate in the next room, and this doesn't drive him crazy as far as I can tell...

 

[Zorba]

Saroyan "Grecians" are the mellowest ones I know of - I have a set I use in class so I don't drive my sisters nuts!

 

[Madeline]

I used to make zill mufflers out of old socks, and they didn’t last at all. I think it would be a waste to crochet cute little covers, because they’ll fall apart and start to clang again!

 

[Queenie]

I used to make zill mufflers out of old socks

Now there's an idea! I think I'll go ahead with a couple of layers of old panty hose - until now I've been doing the tape option as well, resulting in sticky zills indeed.