Cymbalsmith & teacher • Bristol, UK
I'm Dave Collingwood
cymbalsmith & teacher
cymbalsmith & teacher
After life on the road as a professional drummer, I started teaching myself to make cymbals in 2010.
What started as fascination quickly became obsession as I began to unpick the mysteries of the craft, realising that the more questions I answered, the more there were to ask.
I went on to teach cymbal making and run cymbal-making experiences and workshops for anyone interested in the craft, at any level. Today I teach new and established cymbalsmiths around the world, both online and in person, as well as running Make Your Own Cymbal experiences at my workshop in Bristol.
What started as fascination quickly became obsession as I began to unpick the mysteries of the craft, realising that the more questions I answered, the more there were to ask.
I went on to teach cymbal making and run cymbal-making experiences and workshops for anyone interested in the craft, at any level. Today I teach new and established cymbalsmiths around the world, both online and in person, as well as running Make Your Own Cymbal experiences at my workshop in Bristol.
2009
Amicably stepped away from life as a professional touring drummer after a 2-year world tour with Yann Tiersen taking in Europe, USA, Scandinavia, South America & China among others.
2010
Started experimenting with cymbal making. Fascination quickly became obsession, worked around the trials and tribulations of raising a young family!
2017
Moved into my first dedicated cymbal-making workshop.
2020
Launched my cymbalsmith Patreon, building a community of learners, tinkerers and professional makers from around the world. Began publishing regular tutorials and insights, and hosting a monthly online cymbalsmith meeting.
2022
Held the first ever Make Your Own Cymbal session at my workshop in Bristol. It was to be the first of many.
2023
Invited to an interview with Steve Maxwell Jr. at the 32nd Chicago Drum Show. Also travelled across the USA teaching cymbalsmiths and helping with workshop builds.
2024
Spent a month touring the USA teaching cymbalsmiths across the country, from New York to Hawaii, with another stop at the Chicago Drum Show.
2025
Make Your Own Cymbal sessions filled my calendar. I travelled abroad to teach, while cymbal makers from around the world travelled to Bristol to learn with me. The first Indie Cymbalsmith Summit was held at the 34th Chicago Drum Show.
2026
Make Your Own Cymbal has become a popular gift for drummers as well as an introduction to the craft for budding cymbal makers. Group sessions and events in Bristol and further afield are now in the pipeline.