In this guide you’ll learn the following:
What Are Electronic Cymbals?
What Should I Look Out For When Choosing Electronic Cymbals?
And much more!
Below is a quick list of all my top picks. Keep scrolling to learn more about my best buying tips and tricks.
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My Top Pick
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My Top Pick
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Roland CY-8 V-Cymbal Dual-Trigger Crash
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View on Amazon |
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Best Budget
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Best Budget
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Roland CY-13R Electric Ride V-Cymbal, 13-Inch
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View on Amazon |
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Best High-End
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Best High-End
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Roland CY-5 Electric Drum Splash, 10-Inch
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View on Amazon |
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Alesis Nitro Cymbal Expansion Set
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View on Amazon | |
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Pintech Percussion TC10 10″ Trigger Cymbal
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View on Amazon |
My Overall #1 Rated Pick
Updated 8/4/2020
- Affordable
- Very durable
- Responsive
Roland are a household name when it comes to the world of electronic percussion. Their design and build quality are second to none, and it really shows in the CY8 dual trigger crash.
The CY8 has been a staple on Roland V drum kits for as long as I can remember and rightly so. It’s a simple, affordable, and incredibly robust cymbal that has dual zones and a choke function…
What more could you ask for at this price point!
Here’s a great video of the CY8 in action as a crash and ride on a Roland TD-17 kit.
Top 5 Best Electronic Cymbals
In a hurry? Check out my top 5 picks below! Keep reading to learn more about these awesome cymbals.
What Are Electronic Cymbals?
Electronic cymbals are essentially electronic versions of cymbals that you would find on an acoustic drum set (such as Zildjians).
They are rubberized discs/pads that aim to mimic the natural feel and response of an acoustic cymbal, with piezo sensors built inside that translate your stick stikes into electrical signals, which are then used to trigger your desired cymbal samples in your drum module.
If you have ever played an electronic drum set, you’ll know that the feel and response of the drum and cymbal pads are essential for a realistic and enjoyable experience.
However not all electronic cymbals are made equal.
In this essential guide, I’m going to take you through a few of the best electronic cymbals available...whether you’re looking to upgrade your current cymbals or add more triggers to your electronic kit, I’ve got you covered.
Read More >> How Do You Play Electronic Drums As A Beginner?
What Should I Look Out For When Choosing Electronic Cymbals?
There are many different varieties of electronic cymbals that massively vary in size, shape, material, and features. Let’s take a look at some of the key things to look out for when choosing your next electronic cymbal purchase.
Size
The diameter of your cymbal pad will have a big impact on how it plays. Most electronic crash and ride cymbals vary from 10”-15” in diameter, with some much pricier options being more like 16”-18”.
I find that generally the bigger the electronic cymbal, the more realistic it feels to play, with the swinging action and response being more natural. However, the bigger you go, the more expensive the triggers become.
I currently have 13” cymbals for the ride and hi-hats and 10” pads for my crashes. I feel that this gives me the best playing experience that is still compact and isn’t prohibitively expensive.
Shape
In general, the more an electronic cymbal looks like the real thing, the better the playability. It will react and move much more naturally as it’s weight will be evenly balanced.
There are other ‘pizza-slice’ shaped pads that are often found on cheaper electronic kits. Whilst these aren’t bad, they are not very inspiring to play and tend to move around after every strike.
Read More >> Acoustic vs. Electric Drums: Which Is Best For You?
Zones
The ‘zones’ on an electronic cymbal simply refer to the different areas in which sounds can be triggered. For example; a three zone ride cymbal will have sensors on the edge, bow, and bell...meaning that you get 3 separate individual sounds depending on where you strike the cymbal with your drumsticks.
Most crashes are two-zone, allowing for edge and bow triggers (usually no bell), and cheaper options tend to only have one zone.
The more zones an e-cymbal has, the more expressive and realistic it’s going to feel. However, just like the size, more zones usually means more money.
Choke-able
‘Choking’ a cymbal is when you hit it with a stick, then very quickly grab the cymbal to stop the sound.
This produces a short sharp ‘hit’ that can be used for punchy accents or to stop the sustain of a cymbal during a break in a song.
If your electronic cymbal says that it has a ‘choke’ function, it basically means that you can squeeze the edge of the cymbal after hitting it and it will stop the cymbal sample that is currently playing (basically stopping the cymbal sustaining).
Compatability
In general, most electronic cymbal pads will be cross-compatible from brand to brand, as they are all essentially made in pretty much the same way. However, there are some exceptions.
If you have an older module (such as a Roland TD6 or TD8 etc) then these often don’t support three-zone cymbals.
You can often get around this problem by using extra TRS cables, but it can be a bit tricky to get everything working smoothly.
The output of different electronic cymbals also differs from brand to brand, so expect to do some tweaking in your module settings if you intend to mix and match components.
Generally, sticking to the same brand as your drum module is a pretty safe bet if you’re unsure.
If in doubt, have a look on drumming forums to see other people’s experiences with different components. You’ll usually find some answers to any compatibility questions pretty quickly.
Read More >> How Should You Set Up Your Drum Kit?
My Reviews Of The Best Electronic Cymbals
The Roland CY-8 12 inch is an absolute workhorse of an electronic cymbal.
These triggers have been around for what seems like forever and they still come as standard on many Roland lower and mid-level electronic drum kits.
They are ‘dual-zone’ meaning that you can trigger edge and bow sounds, as well as having a choke function.
Having owned (and still own!) many of these cymbals I can tell you they are absolutely bombproof.
They aren’t fully rubberized and have a select playing area which does make them feel a little less responsive than more expensive alternatives, but for the price, you can’t be too picky!
If you’re looking for a crash (or ride) upgrade, or to expand your current setup without spending a whole load of cash, then the CY8 is definitely the way to go.
Pros
- Affordable
- Very durable
- Responsive
- Choke function
Cons
- Not the best swinging motion
The CY13-R is a triple-zone cymbal, allowing for edge, bow and bell sounds...making it the most versatile and expressive cymbal on my list.
It also looks just like a real cymbal with a full 360 degree rubberized surface that helps it swing and respond much more naturally.
You can use it as a crash or a v-cymbal ride...I even combine one with a hi-hat controller for use as a realistic 13” hi-hat cymbal, it’s great!
With Roland you also know what you’re getting in terms of durability, this thing is built to last.
If you’re looking for an even bigger cymbal then check out the Roland Cy-15r instead or go for the Roland cy-12c for a slightly smaller, stripped-down version.
Pros
- Three-zone
- Natural swinging motion
- Responsive triggerings
- Choke function
Cons
- Higher price point
- Check compatibility with older modules
If you’re on a budget, but still want a quality product, then the Roland CY-5 cymbal trigger might be what you need.
At 10” in diameter, it’s basically a smaller version of the CY8, so would be ideal as a splash-cymbal add-on.
It packs all the same great features as the CY8, such as dual zones and a choke function, but in a much smaller package.
It would work great as an add on to your existing kit, it’s also excellent as a hi-hat trigger when combined with a sprung foot pedal.
Due to its small size, it doesn’t respond or swing as smoothly as it’s bigger counterparts, but for an inexpensive and well made e-cymbal upgrade you can’t go too far wrong!
Pros
- Affordable
- Compact
- Choke function
- Dual Zone
Cons
- Doesn’t swing very realistically
It comes with everything you need, cymbal trigger, arm, clamp, cable, etc, meaning you can just set it up, plug it in, and you’re ready to rock.
If you have a Nitro kit already, you’ll have the added bonus of knowing it’s guaranteed to be compatible with your module and your mounting rack too.
However, if you own a kit from a different brand it will also work (just might need some setting adjustments).
The 10” cymbal comes with two playable zones as well as choke function.
Compared to Roland, Alesis doesn’t quite have the same reputation for build quality, however, it does feel solidly built and it’s playing surface is actually very pleasing under your stick.
Pros
- Full package
- Dual-zone
- Choke Function
Cons
- Not as robust as Roland
It is pretty limited and changes in velocity aren’t very accurate, so treat it more like a single hit trigger.
It would be ideal as an extra crash cymbal pad, to cheaply expand your kit.
Pros
- Very affordable
- Rubberized playing surface
- Quiet
Cons
- Triggering not very accurate
- Single zone
Final Thoughts On The Best Electronic Cymbals
Adding an extra e-cymbal to your kit is an excellent way to improve your overall playing experience on your e-drum set.
Remember you don’t have to spend loads to get a great responsive e-cymbal. Any of the Roland cymbals reviewed here will work great!
Similarly, check out some of the offerings from Yamaha (like the Yamaha pcy100 for example).
You can find some great used deals on electronic cymbals, where people are trying to sell various components of their old e-kits cheap...so keep an eye out for some good deals!
So there you have it, my essential YMI guide to the best electronic cymbals.
