Steve Smith - Journey's Frontiers era - Paiste cup chimes?

[jeebustrain]

I know Steve Smith has played Zildjian for a reeeeally long time (started endorsing them in 79), but I was just listening to Journey's "Frontiers" album and am trying to figure out one of the sounds. In the songs Frontiers and Rubicon, there is a bell sound that he's playing. It is a much darker tone than his ride cymbal bell, with a longer sustain. It actually really sounds like a Paiste Cup Chime #1. It's got a slight bit of wash underneath, just like the cup chimes do (I've got 5 of them, so I'm intimately familiar with the timbre).

Keep in mind that this is LONG before the Zilbells were around, so I know it's not one of those. I'm not really up on the Zildjian lineup in this era (82-84ish), but I didn't think there was any sort of bell/chime cymbal in their lineup. I know it's not a crotale either (like what Neil Peart used for the YYZ intro).


anyone have any ideas? I can't seem to find it on the net.

[Bri6366]

It probably was a Paiste cup chime. Steve Smith played Paiste cymbals when he was first with Journey before switching to Zildjian. I'm not sure if he was playing Paistes on Frontiers (he was a Zildjian Endorser in 1980, but I'm not sure about '79).

[paisteuser06]

i think i know what he's talking about. I remember watching an old school video of Primus from the early-early 90's....and i recall seeing a cupchime-looking effect off the side of herb's hi-hats. I knew right off the bat that it wasn't a zilbel, because you can just tell the difference between the sounds. So i'm kinda curious too!

[andyman1970]

Is it the same sound he gets in the bridge of "Chain Reaction"?

[jeebustrain]

Is it the same sound he gets in the bridge of "Chain Reaction"?

yeah... that's the other song... I knew I had heard it earlier in the album, but I didn't want to have to go back.

[Plumstix]

Even if he was playing Zildjian's in '79 doesn't mean that in the studio he only used Zildjian's. For example if you watch the first video of a Year and a Half in the Life of Metallica, Lars is playing Sabian hats, when everyone knows he is a zildjian player so I suppose other players do this too.

[MrPowerRide]

I know Steve Smith has played Zildjian for a reeeeally long time (started endorsing them in 79), but I was just listening to Journey's "Frontiers" album and am trying to figure out one of the sounds. In the songs Frontiers and Rubicon, there is a bell sound that he's playing. It is a much darker tone than his ride cymbal bell, with a longer sustain. It actually really sounds like a Paiste Cup Chime #1. It's got a slight bit of wash underneath, just like the cup chimes do (I've got 5 of them, so I'm intimately familiar with the timbre).

Keep in mind that this is LONG before the Zilbells were around, so I know it's not one of those. I'm not really up on the Zildjian lineup in this era (82-84ish), but I didn't think there was any sort of bell/chime cymbal in their lineup. I know it's not a crotale either (like what Neil Peart used for the YYZ intro).


anyone have any ideas? I can't seem to find it on the net.

I know its such a late response....

On tour he used a 6" splash and an 8" splash. Listen to sound files of them, the 6" sounds like a high pitched bell, especially
if you hit it directly on the bell. LIve footage i've seen, this is what he uses, not a paiste chime.

[Stranjluv101]

Paiste player here, and HUGE fan of the Frontiers album, but I think Steve just used his ride bell and crash bells on those songs. Cup Chime sustain is longer than what i hear, and they sound different in my opinion.

[dale w miller]

It probably was a Paiste cup chime. Steve Smith played Paiste cymbals when he was first with Journey before switching to Zildjian. I'm not sure if he was playing Paistes on Frontiers (he was a Zildjian Endorser in 1980, but I'm not sure about '79).

Being a Paiste endorser is news to me, especially since he spoke about growing up around the Zildjian factory.