View source for Ride cymbal

{{Short description|Percussion element}}
{{Drum kit components}}
The '''ride cymbal''' is a [[cymbal]] of material [[sustain]] used to maintain a [[beat (music)|beat]] in music.<ref>Schroedl, Scott (2001). ''Play Drums Today!'', p.7. Hal Leonard. {{ISBN|0-634-02185-0}}.</ref>  A standard in most [[drum kit|drum kits]], the ride's function is to maintain a steady pattern, sometimes called a '''ride pattern''', rather than provide the [[accent (music)|accent]] of a [[crash cymbal]]. It is normally placed on the extreme right (or [[dominant hand]]) of a drum set, above the [[floor tom]].<ref name="Peckman">Peckman, Jonathan (2007). ''Picture Yourself Drumming'', p.195. {{ISBN|1-59863-330-9}}.</ref>  It is often described as delivering a "shimmering" sound when struck soundly with a drumstick, and a clear ping when struck atop its bell.

The ride can fulfill any function or rhythm the [[Hi-hat (instrument)|hi-hat cymbal]] does, with the exception of an open and closed sound.<ref name="Peckman"/>

== Types ==
{{noref section|date=May 2022}}
[[Image:Zildjian-Ride.jpg|thumb|A [[Zildjian]] 19" Armand Ride Cymbal]]
The term ''ride'' may depict either the function or characteristic of the instrument. Most cymbal makers manufacture specific cymbals for the purpose.

Alternatively, some drummers use a [[china cymbal]], a [[sizzle cymbal]] or a specialized tone such as a [[swish cymbal|swish]] or [[pang cymbal|pang]] as a ride cymbal. When playing extremely softly, when using [[Drum stick#Brushes|brushes]], and when recording in a studio, even a thin crash may serve well as a ride cymbal.

When playing extremely loudly, a cymbal designed as a ride may deliver a very loud, long crash, due to its superior [[Envelope (music)|sustain]] after being struck. 

{{clear}}

===Crash/ride===
{{main|crash/ride cymbal}}
Cymbals designated [[crash/ride cymbal|crash/ride]] or more rarely '''ride/crash''' serve as either a large slow crash or secondary ride, or in very small kits as the only [[suspended cymbal]].

===Flat ride===
{{main|flat ride cymbal}}
[[Cymbal#Anatomy|Bell]]-less ride cymbals, known as [[flat ride (cymbal)|flat ride]]s, have a dry crash and clear stick definition. Quieter, they are popular in jazz drumming. Developed by [[Paiste]] in the 1960s, flat rides are used by notable drummers [[Roy Haynes]], [[Jack DeJohnette]], [[Paul Wertico]], [[Carter Beauford]], [[Jo Jones]] and [[Charlie Watts]].{{citation needed|date=January 2011}}

The highly regarded Paiste 602 Flat Ride was reissued in 2010, but is only available in 20" medium.

===Swish and pang===
{{main|swish cymbal}}
Swish and pang cymbals are exotic ride and [[crash/ride]] cymbals similar to [[china cymbals]] in tone.

===Sizzle cymbal===
{{main|sizzle cymbal}}
A sizzle cymbal, thinner and one size larger than the main ride, was common in some styles of early [[rock music]] as a secondary ride cymbal, particularly for accompanying guitar [[lead break]]s.

==Sound==
When struck, a ride cymbal makes a [[Envelope (music)|sustained]], shimmering sound rather than the shorter, decaying sound of a [[crash cymbal]]. The most common diameter for a ride cymbal is about {{convert|20|in|cm}}, but anything from {{convert|18|in|cm}} to {{convert|22|in|cm}} is standard. Smaller and thinner cymbals tend to be darker with more shimmer, while larger and thicker cymbals tend to respond better in louder volume situations, and conversely. Rides of up to {{convert|26|in|cm}} and down to {{convert|16|in|cm}} are readily available, and down to {{convert|8|in|cm}} are currently manufactured. The very thickest and loudest tend to be about 22&nbsp;inches, with larger rides restricted to medium and medium thin thicknesses.

{| border="2" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" align="right"
!colspan="3" style="background:#a0deee" | Audio samples
|-
!width="30" style="background:#a0deee;" | Component
!width="160" style="background:#a0deee;" | Content
!width="70" style="background:#a0deee;" | Audio  <small>([[Vorbis]])</small>
|-
|align="center" rowspan="3 "|'''Ride'''
|Hit on the ''bow''
|align="center" | {{Audio|Ride cymbal.ogg|61 KB}}
|-
|Hit on the ''bell'' of the cymbal
|align="center" | {{Audio|Ride cymbal bell.ogg|71 KB}}
|-
|Hit on the ''rim''
|align="center" | {{Audio|Ride cymbal rim.ogg|67 KB}}
|-
|align="center"  colspan="3" style="background:#fffdead;" | <small>''See the [[Commons:Drums|Drums]] page at [[Wikimedia Commons]] for more'' </small>
|}

In [[rock music|rock]] or [[jazz]], the ride cymbal is most often struck regularly in a rhythmic pattern as part of the accompaniment to the song. Often the drummer will vary between the same pattern either on the [[hi-hat cymbal]] or the ride cymbal, playing for example the hi-hat in the verses and the ride in the instrumentals and/or choruses.

The sound of a ride cymbal also varies depending on what kind of [[Drum stick#Mallets|mallet]] is used to hit it. In [[rock music|rock]] and [[heavy metal music|metal]], wood and nylon-tipped drum sticks are common; wood creates a smoother, quieter sound, whereas nylon tips create more of a "ping". It creates a low vibration to keep a steady beat, but a low sound volume. The bell, the bulge in the center of the cymbal, creates a brighter, less sustained sound. The bell creates such a brilliant tone compared to the subtle sound of the bow that it is often used as somewhat of another cymbal. Some ride cymbals, seen more often in various forms of metal and harder subgenres of rock, have an unusually large bell. This lessens the accuracy required to repeatedly hit the bell in fast patterns, and produces a louder, brighter tone than in most ride-cymbal bells.

==Pattern==
{{listen|filename=Eighth-note ride pattern.mid|title=Eighth-note ride pattern|description=Eighth-note ride pattern (left) <ref name="Schroedl, p.9"/>|format=[[Midi]]}}

Modern use of the ride cymbal was inspired by jazz drummer [[Baby Dodds]]'s press roll rhythms.<ref name="pas">{{Cite web | url=http://www.pas.org/about/hall-of-fame/warren-baby-dodds | title=Warren 'Baby' Dodds | publisher=The Percussive Arts Society | access-date=2017-12-18 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190517030832/https://www.pas.org/about/hall-of-fame/warren-baby-dodds | archive-date=2019-05-17 | url-status=live }}</ref>  According to the Percussive Arts Society, which inducted him into its hall of fame, "Dodds' way of playing press rolls ultimately evolved into the standard jazz ride-cymbal pattern. Whereas many drummers would play very short press rolls on the backbeats, Dodds would start his rolls on the backbeats but extend each one to the following beat, providing a smoother time flow."

The most basic ride pattern in rock and other styles is:<ref name="Schroedl, p.9">Schroedl, Scott (2001). ''Play Drums Today!'', p.9. Hal Leonard. {{ISBN|0-634-02185-0}}.</ref>

[[Image:Eighth-note ride pattern.png|270px]]

In [[jazz]], this would normally be played [[with a swing]]. {{audio|Eighth-note ride pattern with triplet swing.mid|Play}}

==Sources==
{{Reflist}}

{{Drum beats}}
{{Percussion}}

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[[Category:Cymbals]]
[[Category:Drum kit components]]
[[Category:Drum patterns]]
[[Category:Rhythm and meter]]