So…you want to learn to play cymbals? GOOD! They are such an integral part of this wonderful dance form. I love my cymbals. What an interesting instrument to play! So expressive – so versatile! There are so many moods you can convey just by creative and well thought-out use of those little brass discs…but beware! They can also be very frustrating if you try to play beyond your capability too soon. Take it slow… The cymbals aren’t going anywhere except on your fingers (often) to practice them! I am disappointed as a teacher when students say they don’t want to learn them or even worse “can’t” learn them before even exploring the experience. Cymbal playing is, of course, by choice but just to play them minimally for effect will even suffice. Here’s LaylaSpeak on cymbal playing…

YOU HAVE TO PRACTICE! There is no way around it. You cannot put them on your fingers once or twice a week when you attend class and expect to be able to play them. Every aspiring dancer has the given right to torture their family by practicing their cymbals. Want time alone? Put your cymbals on. Of course if you want to cut your family some slack you can put socks on over your hands and that will muffle the sound but…where’s the fun in that?

THEY HAVE TO FIT PROPERLY AND BE ON YOUR FINGERS CORRECTLY! I have always preferred the cymbals that have the double slots on top rather than the single hole because you can control the tension of the elastic much better. I also find that half-inch elastic gives you much better control than thinner elastic. Unless you have really thin or small fingers go for the half-inch elastic, ladies. By the way, it is normal to have your finger-tips go bluish when you have your cymbals tight enough. Occupational hazard but I still have all my finger-tips after 28 years of dancing!

THEY CAN’T BE TOO BIG/SMALL OR TOO LIGHT/HEAVY! This is where it can get tricky and you may end up purchasing more than one pair of cymbals until you find the right set for you. When you are ready to purchase your cymbals have your teacher recommend cymbals for you or if you are a friend of a professional dancer ask her advice. Don’t buy them blindly. It can get costly. This is a situation where “size does matter”. OH BEHAVE!

When I first start teaching my students how to play their cymbals, I assure them that “CYMBALS ARE NOT THE ENEMY!” Every teacher has their own approach to teaching cymbals. The only thought I will impart on you, my potential cymbal player, is don’t wait too long to put those cymbals on your fingers. The longer you wait…the more you perfect your technique and don’t incorporate your cymbals…the harder it will be to put them on and succeed. I can’t say definitively how long you should wait before attempting cymbal playing but after 6 months or so of solid lessons cymbals should “make their entrance!”

Trillingly yours,
Layla

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Comments
Carmine
Layla Mary is a FANTASTIC Zill player and it is always a pleasure when she plays along to the band.

samirafaraha
Good article, but if I may I'd like to add something I think is very important. Finger Cymbals are percussion instruments and must be treated as such. In order to learn how to play them correctly, you MUST learn rhythm first. Of course this goes without say, but not many dancers learn them this way, the reality is very few dancers take rhythm lessons, the result is mediocre, unrefined and sloppy dancing. I love those who love dancing and want to be dancers very fast, I’m just saying don’t forget the rhythm. (By the way you can buy Snouj covers and you can train without bothering your family) Samira

Gia
Terrific feature Layla Mary! Very few dancers sound as though they were born with zills on their fingers...Layla Mary is one...make plans to attend her classes or go see this dynamo perform! Blue fingers aside...your playing is top notch!!!

Neon
Yes that's our Layla Mary! -- spectacular zill playing woven masterfully into amazing, intricate improv.

amantha
I also think its important to use your student time to get used to playing in front of an audience. Your first time performing with zills your bound to be nervous. You need to make the mistakes to get past them - much easier if you are performing in student shows. If you try to add zills after you are dancing professionally, the stakes are much higher.