How the suspended cymbal makes its sound
In the Hornbostel–Sachs system, which classifies instruments by how they produce sound, the suspended cymbal belongs to the idiophones: the solid body of the instrument itself vibrates, without strings or a stretched membrane.
Its timbre – the colour that lets you tell it apart from other instruments playing the same note – comes from the mix of overtones its body and resonator emphasise.
From Wikipedia
A suspended cymbal is any single cymbal played with a stick or beater rather than struck against another cymbal. Common abbreviations used are "sus. cym.," or "sus. cymb." (with or without the period).
Most drum kits contain at least two suspended cymbals: a crash cymbal and a ride cymbal.
Other idiophones
Frequently asked questions
What does a suspended cymbal sound like?
As one of the idiophones, its sound comes from the way the solid body of the instrument itself vibrates, without strings or a stretched membrane.
What type of instrument is the suspended cymbal?
It is classified as idiophones (Hornbostel–Sachs 11).