Tyler Walton
Premier Staff
Ride cymbals are the most complex -- and largest -- of the cymbal family. Most ride cymbals range from 20 to 22 inches in diameter. For rock and pop music a medium-thick ride with a clear stick definition (referred to as "ping") is desirable. If you prefer to occasionally hit your ride towards the edge with the shoulder of the stick (think Taylor Hawkins of Foo Fighters) then you will want a ride that isn't too thick in order to produce a good "crash" sound when desired. I use a 20-inch Paiste Twenty Custom "Full" Ride for most moderate rock and club gigs. I use a 22-inch Paiste 2002 Ride for aggressively-loud rock music in larger venues.
For jazz music, the ride is the most important cymbal of all. A thin, natural finish cymbal is generally desired as it produces a more dark, mellow tone. Many jazz cymbals are hand-hammered or hand-lathed to produce grooves on the cymbal's surface. This process provides a fairly dry sound with great stick definition and a sort of smokey timbre that compliments the softer dynamic levels and active ride playing in most jazz styles. A Big Band ride cymbal should generally combine the brighter timbres of a typical rock-forward ride with the thinness and dryness of a cymbal suited for small-group jazz. Big Bands are typically comprised of ten to twenty musicians, so the drummer's ride sound needs to be clearly heard by all while still possessing the subtlety to support a soloist when the entire ensemble isn't playing. My jazz ride cymbal collection consists of a 20-inch Paiste Signature Traditionals Thin Ride, a 21-inch Paiste Signature Dark Energy Light Dark Ride, and a 22-inch Paiste Twenty Masters Dark Crisp Ride.
When it comes to blues music I feel a drummer should have two ride sounds to choose from depending on the style of blues you're playing. For the traditional "down home" blues, a thin, jazz-forward ride is perfect to accompany the more minimalistic spirit of that music. Furthermore, a drummer will sometimes find himself playing this style of blues at lower volume levels, maybe with even just a bass drum, snare and one cymbal depending on the venue; so one should have a very thin ride with dark, warm tones along with good "crashability."
When playing more modern blues music (e.g., Stevie Ray Vaughan, Robben Ford) a pingy, bright, refined ride sound suits the style well as it's generally played louder and with a slightly more aggressive approach. For this style of blues I prefer a ride with the 'brilliant' finish discussed in Part I of the series.
Lastly, regardless of the style of music you are playing or the volume you are playing it at, one should seek out a ride with good "spread." Spread is essentially the sustained sound that the ride produces as you play time on it or after you crash on it. Listen to the overtones that the ride produces. I prefer a spread that decays lower in pitch than it begins because this will provide a darker, more organic tone quality without the sometimes cloyingly high-pitched ring that lingers with some cymbals. Try to find a cymbal that has the least amount of "notey" overtones as possible. If you strike the cymbal and you hear a specific pitch ringing long after the initial strike, this is generally an undesirable quality.
Don't hesitate to take a great deal of time selecting a ride cymbal that matches your ideal cymbal sound that you hear in your head. For years I was dissatisfied with my ride cymbals partly because I would purchase stuff on impulse only to take it to a gig and realize that I didn't care for the sound all that much. Better to take the time finding a few great rides that will last you a lifetime rather than buying many cymbals in hopes that one of them will gel with your musical endeavors.
For jazz music, the ride is the most important cymbal of all. A thin, natural finish cymbal is generally desired as it produces a more dark, mellow tone. Many jazz cymbals are hand-hammered or hand-lathed to produce grooves on the cymbal's surface. This process provides a fairly dry sound with great stick definition and a sort of smokey timbre that compliments the softer dynamic levels and active ride playing in most jazz styles. A Big Band ride cymbal should generally combine the brighter timbres of a typical rock-forward ride with the thinness and dryness of a cymbal suited for small-group jazz. Big Bands are typically comprised of ten to twenty musicians, so the drummer's ride sound needs to be clearly heard by all while still possessing the subtlety to support a soloist when the entire ensemble isn't playing. My jazz ride cymbal collection consists of a 20-inch Paiste Signature Traditionals Thin Ride, a 21-inch Paiste Signature Dark Energy Light Dark Ride, and a 22-inch Paiste Twenty Masters Dark Crisp Ride.
When it comes to blues music I feel a drummer should have two ride sounds to choose from depending on the style of blues you're playing. For the traditional "down home" blues, a thin, jazz-forward ride is perfect to accompany the more minimalistic spirit of that music. Furthermore, a drummer will sometimes find himself playing this style of blues at lower volume levels, maybe with even just a bass drum, snare and one cymbal depending on the venue; so one should have a very thin ride with dark, warm tones along with good "crashability."
When playing more modern blues music (e.g., Stevie Ray Vaughan, Robben Ford) a pingy, bright, refined ride sound suits the style well as it's generally played louder and with a slightly more aggressive approach. For this style of blues I prefer a ride with the 'brilliant' finish discussed in Part I of the series.
Lastly, regardless of the style of music you are playing or the volume you are playing it at, one should seek out a ride with good "spread." Spread is essentially the sustained sound that the ride produces as you play time on it or after you crash on it. Listen to the overtones that the ride produces. I prefer a spread that decays lower in pitch than it begins because this will provide a darker, more organic tone quality without the sometimes cloyingly high-pitched ring that lingers with some cymbals. Try to find a cymbal that has the least amount of "notey" overtones as possible. If you strike the cymbal and you hear a specific pitch ringing long after the initial strike, this is generally an undesirable quality.
Don't hesitate to take a great deal of time selecting a ride cymbal that matches your ideal cymbal sound that you hear in your head. For years I was dissatisfied with my ride cymbals partly because I would purchase stuff on impulse only to take it to a gig and realize that I didn't care for the sound all that much. Better to take the time finding a few great rides that will last you a lifetime rather than buying many cymbals in hopes that one of them will gel with your musical endeavors.