[Dixielandjazz] Ride cymbals

[LARRY'S Signs and Large Format Printing]

Thanks Dave
In small combo work the ride cymbal was used a lot like a sizzle (one step lower on my list of stuff that drummers need not carry) that is to fill up the holes in sound.  If you are working a group like sax, piano, bass and drums it does sort of fill in the blanks.  

In the late 50's and 60's the rides got to be a status symbol.  Mine's bigger than yours ! Guys were using 24" rides.  At the same time the bass drums got smaller.  The bass drum was the filler but as time went by and the Hawaiian scenes with flashing lights went out of style the smaller more compact cocktail set came into vogue.  Drummers at that time, since rock was coming in, went in for a harder pop with no ring.  

Today it looks like the bass drums are getting a bit larger, most likely because no small drum can compete with a zillion watts of amplification and stay small.  Look at the size of bass drums and cymbals in old 20's and 30's movies.  The bass was  pretty large and the cymbals small probably about 10-12".  I they call them splash cymbals I think.  Drummers carried a full kit of junk to bang on such as cowbells and Chinese wood blocks. 

I had to borrow a set one night and yes it had the Hawaiian scene, Chinese tom and 10" cymbal.  I hated it but I was 22 and we needed a set badly and we were in a college town.   The reason was the drummer got locked out of his college apartment.  They closed for the holidays and it was New Years eve.  OOPS!

About three weeks ago I was auditioning a drummer and he walked in with a cocktail set.  This was the worst sound I have heard for this kind of music.  His bass drum looked like a floor tom turned on the side with stilts.  The worst was yet to come -- Loud is the best thing he did.

It boils down to this, does the guy play the drums or bang on them.  A real player does not need to drive you nuts with a ride cymbal.  A player knows the style and stays within that style and tailors his sound to the group and above all plays with taste.  

A lot of guys are "one beat drummers".  They know only rock or jazz or whatever.  I don't play drums and I don't see why these guys don't learn different styles.  Just my thought on it.

Do I dislike drums - of course not -  I've played with guys that are just so good that play the drums but then again when my next door neighbor cranks up his stereo and starts in on his drum set I think I'm in drummer Hell.
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Dave Said:
Man after my on heart--I H-A-T-E ride cymbals...kept me from buying or
listening to much Nicksiland, even when rest of the music is great... 

I've asked DJML drummers over the years what purpose the rider serves, and
have never had the courtesy of a reply... 

One of my drummers came up with a workable compromise: he clipped a piece
of bicycle innertube to each rider, which cut out the hiss altogether,
leaving a short ring after each stroke that didn't interfere with hearing
what was happening on the bandstand...

Glad you'e chiming in on DJML