Deus Ex Patina

Does Burying Cymbals Alter Their Sound?

You may have heard of drummers burying cymbals to alter their sound or appearance, but does entombing a cymbal actually do anything aside from get it dirty? It seems there's no consensus on the matter. The idea is that burying a cymbal will speed the aging process of the bronze by creating a layer of oxidized copper, known as patina, which would otherwise occur naturally over many years of exposure to the elements. For reference, patina gives the Statue of Liberty its greenish color. This added layer of copper "rust" gives cymbals a darker, more focused tone, which is more characteristic of vintage cymbals dating back several decades. 

Others argue that burying a cymbal will only succeed in potentially damaging the instrument, along with caking filth into every ripple, crevice, and hammer mark. But there are many factors at play here -- How long should a cymbal stay in the ground? A week? A month? A year? Would brighter cymbals age more noticeably than darker cymbals? Will the acidity and moisture content of the soil impact the aging process? How far down should the cymbal be buried? Should they be buried during the winter? The summer? During a solstice or equinox or a full moon? Will cymbals with a higher copper-to-tin ratio age differently?

It seems the idea of burying a cymbal to change its tone may not be so straight forward. Perhaps it would be best if we experiment on our own... 

Drum Lessons Near Newton, MA

All of our instructors here at Loudlands Music Lab draw from years of experience spent studying, playing and performing on the drums in every capacity imaginable. Interested in starting your drumming journey or taking your skills to the next level? Schedule a trial lesson at our drumming school near Newton to get closer to your goals!