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Cameron's cymbals from dvd

random_jedirandom_jedi Posts: 2
edited November 2003 in Musicians and Gearheads
Does anyone know Matt Cameron's cymbals(sizes and type) he used off his dvd? I saw him at Alpine Valley 2 weeks before the dvd was recorded and I love his setup. I know they're all zildjians but i'm not exactly sure what types he's got on there.
-random_jedi
Post edited by Unknown User on

Comments

  • mccreadyisgodmccreadyisgod Bumfuq, MT Posts: 6,395
    One of the world's true mysteries...

    Matt's equipment has always been a bit of a mystery, and he has a tendancy to move around between different items.

    All I know is, it usually sounds good. I love the snare...
    ...and if you don't like it, you can suck on an egg.
  • EBowieEBowie Posts: 532
    This is a question that I have been pondering for the past couple of years. Matt Cameron was the reason that I finally decided to play the drums. I mean it was something that I wanted to do, and I knew that I did, but when I saw Matt in 1998, it sealed the deal for me. So, invariably, I have attempted to model my cymbal setup around his. He has done three tours with Pearl Jam, and his setup has changed a little bit- in terms of choices of cymbals as well as positioning. For hi-hats, I am pretty sure that his first choice is 15" A Zildjian New Beats. His ride cymbal is either a 20" A Zildjian medium ride or a 21" A Zildjian Sweet Ride (although at times he may use a K Zildjian Ride- as seen on an overhead in Touring Band 2000). His crashes get a bit trickier. He usually has three crashes in his setup- two up front and one way off to his right. The two main crashes are usually Z Customs- not sure on the exact specifications, although I do know that he has used both Z Custom Medium Crashes and Z Custom Rock Crashes. The crash farthest to his right is the toughest to figure out- simply because it is the hardest to see and the one that he hits least. After paying close attention to the "Matt Cam" on Touring Band 2000, I have come to believe that it is some form of A Custom crash- but I am not sure on the specs. I hope that this helps out a bit. I don't claim to know for sure what cymbals he uses, however, I do know that I am damn close. The only thing that is 100% impossible to mistake is the fact that Matt always plays Zildjian cymbals.
  • random_jedirandom_jedi Posts: 2
    Originally posted by EBowie
    This is a question that I have been pondering for the past couple of years. Matt Cameron was the reason that I finally decided to play the drums. I mean it was something that I wanted to do, and I knew that I did, but when I saw Matt in 1998, it sealed the deal for me. So, invariably, I have attempted to model my cymbal setup around his. He has done three tours with Pearl Jam, and his setup has changed a little bit- in terms of choices of cymbals as well as positioning. For hi-hats, I am pretty sure that his first choice is 15" A Zildjian New Beats. His ride cymbal is either a 20" A Zildjian medium ride or a 21" A Zildjian Sweet Ride (although at times he may use a K Zildjian Ride- as seen on an overhead in Touring Band 2000). His crashes get a bit trickier. He usually has three crashes in his setup- two up front and one way off to his right. The two main crashes are usually Z Customs- not sure on the exact specifications, although I do know that he has used both Z Custom Medium Crashes and Z Custom Rock Crashes. The crash farthest to his right is the toughest to figure out- simply because it is the hardest to see and the one that he hits least. After paying close attention to the "Matt Cam" on Touring Band 2000, I have come to believe that it is some form of A Custom crash- but I am not sure on the specs. I hope that this helps out a bit. I don't claim to know for sure what cymbals he uses, however, I do know that I am damn close. The only thing that is 100% impossible to mistake is the fact that Matt always plays Zildjian cymbals.

    I belive his cymbals are that which Zildjian.com describes, only minus however many. The far right is a china, I know that for sure, but the two crashes is what gets me.
    -random_jedi
  • Space MonkeySpace Monkey Posts: 39
    For TB2K, I'm pretty sure this is Matt's setup (from left to right, as though you were sitting at his kit):

    15" hats - either the New Beats, or K's
    19" Z Custom Medium Crash
    19" Z Custom Rock Crash
    now, the rides he has been known to use are:
    21" A Sweet Ride, 20" A Medium Ride (SG days pretty much), 20-21"? K-type ride (as seen in TB2K), and I'm thinking the latter of which he used most of the 2000 tour.
    I also concur that on the far right is some sort of A Custom cymbal, but I wouldn't be surprised if it were actually another ride, and not a crash - that's my guess anyways.

    He switched up his setup for 2003:

    His hi-hats sound different, but that could just be the mix.
    He's still using two 19" crashes, but I'm not sure if they're still the same Z Customs he's had since the SG days. I think he changed these ones up a lot throughout the tour.
    The ride really sounds to me like it's a 21" Sweet Ride, and I was almost positive it was this until I saw the Matt Cam, and the way the light is shining off his ride, it looks almost like a K, so I'm not so sure any more.
    As for the cymbal on the far right, it's not a China. It looks like a sound-effect type of cymbal to me, like maybe a 14" warped splash or something. Very trashy-sounding. You can see how it's been bent and warped (not like a china).

    The Zildjian site is wrong, and usually are, about his setup - and a lot of other drummer's.

    (edit: his Z Custom crashes are all the earlier models - the heavier ones - which are no longer available, as they were redesigned and are now lighter.)
  • EBowieEBowie Posts: 532
    Could be a bit of a stretch, but I wonder if the 14" trashy looking cymbal is a ZXT Trashformer. I say this only because it sounds similar to the description given by Space Monkey. I realize that the ZXT line is not necessarily geared towards professional drummers, however, many pros appear to be using the Trashformer. I still have not seen Live At The Garden (frickin' deepdiscount), so my theory is based only upon the previous post. It appears that Space Monkey and I are in agreement on many of the cymbals. I also agree in the statement about Zildjian's website being inaccurate. It appears that Zildjian has not updated many of the artist's setups.
  • EBowieEBowie Posts: 532
    One more thing... I was wondering about Space Monkey's comment on the earlier model Z Customs...very interesting.
  • Space MonkeySpace Monkey Posts: 39
    I've heard of the Trashformer before, and just looked on the Zildjian site. Pretty cool coincidence that it's a 14-incher as well, and how it's all bent like that. I had thought that maybe Matt had actually warped an old cymbal or something, but this Trashformer could very well be what he's been using - it looks exactly like it. Good call Ebowie.

    As far as the Z Custom line goes, Zildjian originally had them a heavier cymbal than what they are now. For some reason they redesigned them to be lighter, and the older ones are those of which Matt has used since when he was in Soundgarden.
  • EBowieEBowie Posts: 532
    Cool man...thanks
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