How does stopping an open hihat work?

[bluebell]

Hi all,

I use Fluidsynth (as dssi- or lv2-plugin) and sf2-soundfonts. I noticed that I can stop an open hihat by positioning a closed hihat shortly after with a small velocity, eg 1 (must be >0 else it won't work).

What's the mechanism behind? Are there some definitions in soundfonts that only one note of a group can be played?

[Quirq]

I think they're usually called mute groups – one member of the group will mute the sound of an earlier-played sample in the same mute group. I think the groups are usually given numbers, from what I recall from messing around in Hydrogen.

They're usually used for a closed hi-hat following an open hi-hat, so that once the closed hat sounds the open hat sound doesn't continue, which wouldn't sound natural. I'm not sure whether they're ever used on anything in a drum kit, perhaps someone else could shed light on that.

What you're doing, with the very low velocity, is probably akin to a drummer muting the open hat by hand.

[GraysonPeddie]

So if you strike a hi-hat and within a half a second you press down the pedal very hard, the sound of an open hi-hat will stop after a loud short vibration, right? But if you strike a hi-hat and then press down the pedal very softly, obviously the open hi-hat sound will decay quickly because the two hi-hats will narrow down until there's no air left for it to vibrate, am I wrong?

If you let go of the pedal very quickly, there could be some slight vibrations from the hi-hats. At least that's from my experience about a decade ago when I was at Florida School for the Deaf and Blind but I could be wrong.

[Quirq]

So if you strike a hi-hat and within a half a second you press down the pedal very hard, the sound of an open hi-hat will stop after a loud short vibration, right?

Yes, the loud short virbation as the two cymbals strike each other.

But if you strike a hi-hat and then press down the pedal very softly, obviously the open hi-hat sound will decay quickly because the two hi-hats will narrow down until there's no air left for it to vibrate, am I wrong?

I don't think lack of air comes into it. The closing of the hats will change the timbre as parts of the cymbals are obscured, but I'd think the sound will decay quickly due to mechanical damping as the cymbals come into contact.

If you let go of the pedal very quickly, there could be some slight vibrations from the hi-hats. At least that's from my experience about a decade ago when I was at Florida School for the Deaf and Blind but I could be wrong.

I'd say that the slight ringing when they part, especially if they're brought together quickly/hard with the pedal, and the fact that the way they choke varies depending on pedal speed, are nuances that simply can't be captured by simple open/closed samples and muting.

[ssj71]

Just throwing this out there, In my experience behind a kit (just a couple times messing around at rehearsal) it is impossible to silently close a hi-hat. Typically you just do it in the beat for that lovely *chick* sound (on 2 and 4 please).

[GraysonPeddie]

Yeah, I've tried it once and it almost makes noises.

I could get me a hihat and a stand with a pedal in it but I don't have the kind of space in my bedroom while living in my apartment, I have neighbors, and my room is untreated. Room treatment will cost way too much. If only I could use this for making music with electronic virtual drums but I would rather buy a house for that so I don't have to worry too much about neighbors. Oh well.