Precision-drilled perforations knock the volume back while the stick feel and rebound stay close to a standard acoustic cymbal.
Drums are noisy. I know it, you know it, your neighbour knows it.
Pearl has kept that in mind with its latest release, the BRD-S Low Volume Practice Cymbals, which bring the feel of a cymbal down to a level that won’t carry through the walls. The set joins Pearl’s BRD series, having arrived last month.
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Most low-volume cymbals mean giving up natural response, but the BRD-S doesn’t ask you to do that. Reducing the volume are precision-drilled perforations across the playing surface, cutting the sound level while holding onto the stick feel, rebound and response of a standard acoustic cymbal.
The set covers a full kit with a 20″ ride, an 18″ crash, a 16″ crash and 14″ hi-hats, enough to work through ride patterns on the bow, crashes off the edge and accents on the bell without much lost in translation. For anyone running an electronic kit, the BRD-S sits over the rubber pads that usually come with them and gives back a lot of the real playing experience those pads tend to flatten out.
Where it earns its keep is in the situations acoustic cymbals rule out – practising in an apartment, rehearsing at home, warming up backstage or playing rooms with strict volume limits. A dedicated cymbal bag comes in the box, which suits drummers moving between lessons, rehearsal rooms and gigs on a regular basis.
Sitting alongside it in the BRD range is the BRD-1, a full-volume brass set pitched at beginners, students and rehearsal studios, or anyone after a dependable backup at an accessible price. Its balanced tone and everyday usability make it a sensible first set without giving up the essentials.
