A
hi-hat, also spelled
hihat, is a type of
cymbal and stand used as a typical part of a
drum kit by percussionists in
rhythm and blues,
hip-hop,
disco,
jazz,
metal,
rock and roll,
house,
reggae and other forms of contemporary popular music. It is a standard part of the modern drum kit. The hi-hat consists of two
cymbals that are mounted on a stand, one on top of the other, and a pedal which can be used to clash and hold the cymbals together.
Open and
closed hi-hat refer to notes struck while the two cymbals are apart or together (open or closed), while
pedal hi-hat refers to parts or notes played solely with the pedal used to strike the two cymbals. Most
cymbal patterns consist of both open and closed notes.