Best Splash Cymbals for Mathcore in 2026 | MetalForge Expert Guide
Discover the best splash cymbals for mathcore drumming. Expert recommendations on bright, fast-decaying accent cymbals for odd-time signature punctuation, featuring the splash setup used by Blake Richardson.
Frequently Asked Questions
What splash cymbal does Blake Richardson use?
Blake Richardson of Between the Buried and Me plays a 10" Sabian HH Duo Splash within his Sabian touring rig, delivering an adaptable accent voice for BTBAM's genre-hopping, mathcore-adjacent technicality.
Why do mathcore drummers need a splash cymbal more than other genres?
Mathcore's irregular meters and constant tempo shifts give a drummer far fewer predictable moments to work with than a straight-time genre. A splash provides an extra, distinctly voiced accent option so fills and hits inside unpredictable odd-time passages don't all sound tonally identical.
What size splash cymbal is best for mathcore?
10" is the most common mathcore splash size, striking a balance between a sharp, isolated accent and enough body to cut through technical, dense arrangements. Many drummers add a 12" for a fuller secondary accent voice alongside their 10".
What's the best budget splash cymbal for mathcore?
The Zildjian Planet Z Splash (€35-50) and Sabian SBR Splash (€30-45) both use budget B8 bronze but deliver a genuinely usable, bright accent voice for developing drummers, while the Meinl HCS Splash (€25-40) is the most affordable brass-alloy option for a first full beginner cymbal setup.