In your opinion should a cymbal player own their own cymbals? Steve Weiss (www.steveweissmusic.com) is selling 3 pairs of discontinued Sabians really cheap on their website (although I don't know how they would sound on the field). What are the advantages of owning your own?

Thanks

Yeah you could get your own. On the downside though you might have to find the same ones that your school is using. An upside though is that you dont have to worry about anything happening to them. In that i mean the school getting on you for breaking their stuff. But the school would prob get you new ones if you broke theirs, and when you have your own you will prob have to replace it yourself or use the schools old ones. I think it is a smart move if you are a freshmen. But if you ae a jr. or sr. i wouldnt. most collages have you use their cymbals.
The sound of those cymbals would have to be the same as your schools to. unless you are the only one one cymbals. If you only have 3 people you could just use the cymbals that you might buy.(asuming 3 pairs)

Here's my way of looking at it. If you are serious about being a cymbal player, and there are some people who aspire to be excellent cymbal players, and that's where they fit on the line. We have quite a few avid players here on this board, then I would consider investing in y our own cymbals.
Now you probably wouldn't end up marching those cymbals on a field somewhere, they'd be for you to work technique with. Since cymbal lines really need matching cymbals to sound somewhere the same, they'd only really serve any purpose in helping you prepare yourself.
Now what you can do with cymbals that you own: I'd say the first and best thing about owning your own cymbals is you'd get a feel for the weight and you could 'work out' by holding them up. I'd say the first hurdle any cymbal player has to overcome is being able to hold the cymbals still at head height for extended periods of time. Now you can also simulate this using weights, but I've never really found something that works quite as well as using actual cymbals because the distribution of weight is different and it ends up working different muscle groups in your arms.
The other reason to own your own would be to refine your technique. This would probably become quite a noisy task. Cymbal playing probably has the hardest, and most varied techniques out of any instrument on a drumline. There are at least 40 different sounds you can constantly work to improve on.
However, your own cymbals aren't going to do you much good unless you have the motivation and time to practice. That's why I'm gonna stick with you should pretty much be a 'career' cymbal player if you want to do that. If you have aspirations of being a bass, tenor or snare drummer, I'd say hold off and buy one of those instruments and practice on it.

Amen, I couldn't agree more syntrik. Only thing that I would add that if you get your own pair you might as well invest in a good sized mirror so that you can check your angles while your playing or holding them up.

Great answers from everyone. I own my own cymbals, but then I do clinics all the time, so I like to use what I have. If you are joining a high school, college or drum corps line, they will probably have their own. The drums corps are usually sponsered by a specific company and you will be required to use that brand.

If you want your own for practice and have the money, go for it. Make sure that you have a place where you can go to practice and not bother anyone. It's not easy to practice cymbals in the house if Mom and Dad are around. Also, it freaks out dogs.

Good luck!

...and cats

Very funny that you mention that it freaks out dogs, Jeff. I have a 3-year-old sheltie who is super smart and has learned some very cool tricks. However, I can't seem to train him NOT to freak out when I play!

As soon as I pick up a pair of sticks, he's right there following me around all tensed-up and just waiting for me to tap on something. As soon as I do, he goes ape-sh!t, barking his head off and running around the house.

Now, the really interesting thing is that he only freaks out when I play...not when any of my students play. And somehow he can tell the difference, even from behind a closed door, whether I'm playing or someone else. Also, it's not the volume that bothers him either. All I have to do is tap the stick lightly on ANY surface (carpet, knee, practice pad, etc) and it sets him off.

It was amusing at first, but it's pretty darn annoying now! I have to keep him locked in a room on the 2nd floor, while I'm teaching in the basement so he doesn't disturb my lessons. He'd be the coolest dog ever if he weren't such a psycho-weasel when I drum.

Both my dogs go nuts when I play and when I vacuum the house. I guess the volume must drive them crazy.

as do mine, cthe youngerst a 13 week old miniature dachschuand is getting better aboput it but the 6 year old isnt

way to get as far as humanly possible. I comend you guys. heh
get them, always good to have your own instrument