mainly used in jazz a sizzler makes a cymbol sound well like metalic rain, or frying metal... anywayse it sounds awsome but not alwayse wasy to find a good one... so make one out of junk...
 
Remove these adsRemove these ads by Signing Up

Step 1: Materials

Drum set (ok not necessary but why else would you make this), old guitar strings(assuming your playing with a band this is easy to get), bottle caps the metal twist off kind from soda (or beer maybe?), solder, heat source (even a match will do), wire cutters... its not really that hard I promise...
goodfeets says: Mar 24, 2006. 4:36 PM
I've just used lamp pull ball chain attached to a keyring. I thought I invented the idea as an alternative to drilling holes and adding rivets.
olivergon says: Aug 22, 2011. 2:49 PM
The metalic chain is an old trick I saw many years ago from a German friend. He used the ones that come with the lavatory caps.
fuego316 (author) says: Mar 26, 2006. 9:43 PM
they actually sell those premade for rediculous prices i made another version of this since the death meatal lead guitarist just had to bang on my set... but yea bottlecaps is a unique sound...
nospleen says: Mar 24, 2006. 11:23 PM
Thats how I've seen it done too, with the lamp chain. It seems to work really well. Just one strand dangling down the cymbol makes it sound very mystical...or shimmery...or whatever that sound is.
Tycho7 says: Mar 20, 2008. 9:55 AM
Cool idea! The two sizzlers I've made for my friends (I'm not a drummer) were made from some rides that we "borrowed" from our local school's music department. I drilled a bunch of holes in them with a drill press, then popped some rivets in the holes. As long as the rivets were only half way popped, they sizzled like bacon.
SeMi_AuToMaTic says: Jan 12, 2008. 12:03 PM
i hate to ask, i might sound stupid, butt can you post a picture of your drumset? There one of my favorite instruments to learn how to play. to stay on the subject of jazz, i got a new saxophone!
fuego316 (author) says: Jan 12, 2008. 1:47 PM
haha i guess i should take a pic when i rebuild the sizzler for hopefully another jazz performance next weekend
vati says: Feb 4, 2007. 11:56 AM
Many Years ago the sizzlers were 2 arms that folded and at the ends were little tamborine jinglers.Now the music shop owner told me that is what the jazz drummers used.I bought one and lost it.I have been looking for one for 40 years now with no luck.This is the closest I have seen,beer tops,Very neat idea.I might give it a try.If anyone out there has seen the one I talked about please contact me,I would like to buy one.Thanks,Vati
cymbal says: Aug 3, 2007. 4:04 PM
those sizzle arms are made by cannon percussion and can be bought thru the internet for about $20.
fuego316 (author) says: Feb 4, 2007. 3:52 PM
those were what i had on my vintage drum set... they broke after so many years of use before i got them... caps were the closet thing i could get to sound like a real sizzler for a jazz performance i had two days later... if u can find some i would love to get a real pair again...
havic says: Apr 3, 2007. 2:22 PM
Use some tape and pennies to get that sizzle sound out of my cymals. Just place a few pennies in a row on a strip of tape and stick it on the bell (or where you like) of the cymbal. I use this all the time and it's so cheap and quick to make at the start of a gig. I like the lamp chain idea. I've seen these products at my local music store. All of these methods are great but I'm thinking of making a cymbal with rivets, because of the sustain that is achieved by them. (stirke it once and it just sizzles for days!)
Thunderexpress says: Mar 20, 2007. 4:08 PM
The simplest way of doing this is with paper clips. all you have to do is attatch some together and than stick it under the wing nut on your cymbal. It has alot of sustain (more than the bottle caps) because its so light. This gives it really really light sound which sounds cool.
Thunderexpress says: Mar 19, 2007. 2:30 PM
Jazz drummers aren't the only ones who use riveted rides some rock drummers use them like ginger baker and mitch mitchell, they did come from a jazzier background though.
Joe93 says: Apr 6, 2006. 8:05 AM
Cool i will give it a go
Pro

Get More Out of Instructables

Already have an Account?

close

PDF Downloads
As a Pro member, you will gain access to download any Instructable in the PDF format. You also have the ability to customize your PDF download.

Upgrade to Pro today!