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The Drum kit

1 Bass drum | 2 Floor tom | 3 Snare 4 Toms | 5 Hi-hat | 6 Crash cymbal and Ride cymbal

Other components

China cymbal | Splash cymbal | Sizzle cymbal Swish cymbal | Cowbell | Wood block | Tambourine Rototom | Octoban | Hardware

A crash cymbal is a type of cymbal that produces a loud, sharp "crash" and is used mainly for occasional accents, as opposed to in ostinato. They can be mounted on a stand and played with a drum stick, or by hand in pairs. One or two crash cymbals are a standard part of a drum kit. Suspended crash cymbals are also used in bands and orchestras, either played with a drumstick or rolled with a pair of mallets to produce a slower, swelling crash. Sometimes a drummer may hit two different crash cymbals in a kit at the same time to produce a very loud accent, usually in rock music.

Although crash cymbals range in thickness from paper-thin to very heavy, all crash cymbals have a fairly thin edge. They are typically 16 to 20 inches in diameter, but sizes down to 8 inches and up to 24 inches are manufactured. Custom crash cymbals up to 28 inches in diameter have been used by big bands. Different thicknesses are used for different kinds of music, and the alloy for each manufacturer's models varies. A thick cymbal is likely to be used by a metal or rock band, while thinner cymbals are generally used in lighter rock.

A 16 inch Zildjian A custom Projection Crash

The sound of a crash is changed by its luster. A cleaner cymbal creates a more crisp sound, whereas a cymbal showing signs of oxidation [usually called a 'raw' cymbal, when used on purpose] will have duller sound. Cymbal manufacturers suggest that crash cymbals should be cleaned frequently.

Crashes are sometimes the first cymbal in a setup to crack and warp due to repeated striking of the bell and edge. Some suggest that wear on the cymbal can be reduced by playing with glancing blows (angled to the side, slightly away from the vertical) about a quarter of the way between the edge and the center and allowing the drum stick to bounce off naturally, rather than forcing the stick down at the cymbal head-on. When a cymbal does crack, some suggest that it may be stopped by drilling a hole at the end of the crack or cutting it out completely.^{[citation needed]}

Main article: Clash cymbals

A pair of identical crash cymbals held in either hand by leather thongs passing through holes in their bells are called clash cymbals, and are a standard part of an orchestral percussion section. Two tones are normally used by major orchestras, known as Germanic or Wagnerian (heavier) and Viennese (lighter); a third, rarer tone is known as French (lighter still). Clash cymbals are also used in stage, concert, marching and military bands.