- 1). Loosen the nut on the side of the hi-hat clutch. Remove the clutch from the hi-hat stand.
- 2). Loosen the washer that’s on the bottom of the hi-hat clutch. Take the washer and the bottom felt piece off the hi-hat clutch.
- 3). Turn the hi-hat clutch upside down, so the long metal piece points up.
- 4). Turn the top hi-hat cymbal upside down, so the side with lettering points down. This cymbal typically has “top hi-hat cymbal” written on it.
- 5). Slide the hi-hat cymbal onto the hi-hat clutch, so the long metal piece goes through the center hole in the top hi-hat cymbal.
- 6). Slide the felt piece onto the hi-hat clutch, followed by the washer. Tighten the washer. Some drummers prefer the washer to be loosely secured, while others like it as tight as possible. This affects how tight the top hi-hat cymbal is to the hi-hat clutch. The looser the washer is tightened, the looser the cymbal is, making for a washier sound all the time. Set the top hi-hat cymbal and clutch aside for now.
- 7). Turn the bottom hi-hat cymbal upside down so the lettering points downward. Slide the bottom hi-hat cymbal onto the hi-hat stand, letting it rest on the felt piece at the base of the hi-hat rod, the long metal shaft at the top of the hi-hat stand.
- 8). Turn the hi-hat clutch right side up, so the lettering on the top of the hi-hat cymbal points upward. Slide the top hi-hat cymbal and clutch onto the hi-hat stand. Slide it down until it’s about an inch above the bottom hi-hat cymbal. Tighten the nut on the side of the clutch, securing it to the rod on the hi-hat stand. Pressing down on the hi-hat stand’s foot pedal brings the cymbals together, making noise. You can adjust the height of the top hi-hat cymbal and the clutch by moving its position on the hi-hat rod, first loosening the nut on the hi-hat clutch, sliding it to a different location and then tightening the nut again. This gives you different sounds. Experiment until you find the positioning you like best.
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