Top 5 Ride Cymbals: The Ultimate Selection to Hone Your Playing

With its complex design, the ride cymbal offers a great richness of sounds. Specific alloys developed by manufacturers, weight, diameter, shoulder curvature, size of the bell, raw or polished finish, intensity and density of hammering... so many criteria that have evolved and gained precision over the centuries, resulting in one of the oldest instruments still used today.

No wonder, then, that choosing a new ride can seem tricky. This guide is here to help you find the one that will perfectly suit your playing!

Replacing the ZBT series, the I-Family develops a wide range of machine-made cymbals, and therefore particularly affordable, while benefiting from the manufacturer’s legendary expertise in stamping treatment and alloy. Made in B8, the series offers models with a modern and fairly bright sound, with few dark harmonics, and this 20" ride is an excellent example of the "Family" harmonic philosophy. It delivers a defined and refined ride, thanks to its Medium construction which strongly affects the overall volume of the entire shoulder, from edge to bell, the latter integrating perfectly into the overall sound. Thus, the volume rises very little, even when you push the ping. You can therefore let yourself go on the amplitude without overwhelming everything, which is ideal if you have to play at low volume, in rehearsal, or in a small club. However, you won’t have a very wide dynamic range, the cymbal always singing with a precise but modest voice. In the same vein, its lightness offers this ride a soft crash whose attack, like the ping, is perfectly controlled. You get an attack defined enough to offer strong punctuations, and, at the same time, a sustain that doesn’t extend too much… A pleasant balance that gives the cymbal good versatility.

This PST3 is the cheapest cymbal in our Top 5, offering its 20" for just about sixty euros! An achievement by the Swiss manufacturer thanks to new technologies developed in its German factories! These fully automated manufacturing methods actually gave the series its name, since PST stands for "Paiste Sound Technology". Thanks to them, the brass used here, an economical alloy, is enhanced to offer better acoustic properties. You get a very decent bow, with nice mid-high frequencies that add warmth to the relatively aggressive ping. The power is even, never running away, which is practical to avoid taking up too much space in the mix, even if you’re a beginner and don’t yet control dynamics well. This solid performance is crowned by a dry, balanced bell that fits well with the ride, while adding more sparkling accents that make it ideal for smooth and melodic polyrhythms.

With its Planet Z series, Zildjian gives brass a bright and dense enough voice to bring punch and melody to beginner drummers’ grooves. Accessible from the first kit to more demanding situations, the series seeks a balance between presence and control, and works well in rehearsal, backline, or on a second drum kit. This 20" ride, heavy thickness and hammered, sums up the Planet Z sound well: brightness, clarity, fast attack and controlled wash. The ping is very defined here, obviously quite sharp, and easily cuts through guitars in pop rock, punk or metal. The bell, very usable, is perfect for marking accents and imposing a solid 4/4 to your guitarist… A good dose of energy without unnecessary harshness!

Here is the most expensive and imposing cymbal in our Top 5, with its extra thumb, and its large K tattooed on the shoulder, signature of one of the most prestigious cymbal series on the Groove planet. Taking up the main features of the Sweet Ride A, one of the best-selling models to date, the K version opts for a slightly darker and more complex tone, intended to increase its versatility, making it especially better suited to jazz music, but still aggressive enough to fit more electric music. Zildjian is therefore trying here to mix its various recipes to provide the dream ride for all gig drummers who have to cover all bases. You will find the warmth of B20 and hand hammering, which gives this cymbal a smooth but sculpted ping, evolving very gradually into a sumptuous crash, bewitching as desired, and very flexible. You can feel here the lightweight construction mode that propels the attack with total immediacy without having to force on the stick. All crowned by a very expressive bell, ideal for elastic but consistent claves, and a very refined look, sporting a soft coppery tone and hammered dimples from artisanal hammering… Great craftsmanship!

Little holes, little holes, always little holes! Lately, it seems that all the big cymbal makers are singing along to this famous punchline by the great Serge! Indeed, harmonic control is the trend today, and quieter cymbals are the order of the day, probably on a directive from social security, which is surely tired of funding hearing aids… In any case, the FRX series proves that you can offer very classy sounds while reducing the attack's aggressiveness and the sustain's consistency. Offering models exclusively treated with a drill, yet made in the great tradition of AAX and HHX, it offers cymbals drastically muzzled in the low frequencies, those that tend to stun the sculpting and precision of the sound. Obviously, a ride can only benefit from such technology, especially if you want to keep control of the ping in airy mixes. And that's the case with this 20", which, enjoying the B20 alloy, can keep its rich and complex harmonics and its shoulder with dark and earthy resonances. Moreover, the presence of holes around the bell makes it less aggressive and very homogeneous with the shoulder, for smoother transitions and accents better incorporated into the overall sound… An excellent find!

How to choose your ride cymbal well

Versatility or character?

Here is the first practical question: do you need a all-round cymbal that must adapt to several music styles? In that case, it will be useful to choose a cymbal with good power, which will allow it to assert itself in several mix styles, from airy to dense. However, you will need to pay attention to the power of the resonances and their dynamic response to the bell. Indeed, if the slightest little hit with the stick triggers an intense vibration lasting several minutes, the ride will have a hard time being accepted in all settings. So, if you want to opt for versatility, prefer a small diameter cymbal, with the 20" being the safest bet in this area, although some 21" exist. The larger cymbals will develop less versatile sound characteristics and will be much more intended for musicians who already know their main style and their needs within their band. They will also be richer in low frequencies and harder to integrate into a dense musical texture.

Weight and metal

The weight of a ride cymbal is a key factor in its response. Indeed, the heavier the plate, the more resistance the bell will encounter, and it will have to move to achieve good dynamic variations. A certain touch control, not always obvious for a beginner, is therefore essential to make the cymbal sing. On the other hand, the precision of the phrasing and the rebound response will be better and allow for greater virtuosity in polyrhythms and accents. Moreover, a light cymbal will be easier to use as a crash, and many models are even labeled crash/ride to clearly indicate the ease of dual use. So, if you prefer to move around with a compact set, you will prefer a ride that is not too heavy, which will allow you to do without a second crash without losing too much in the richness of your sound palette.

It should also be noted that the alloy used to make the ride is a factor entirely parallel to weight. For example, B20, which contains 20% tin in copper and is exclusively used in the great tradition of Turkish cymbals, has a warmer and more complex tone than B12 or B8, which are more aggressive but perhaps better suited to your style, especially if you play electric music.

Construction specifics

As we've mentioned, there are many manufacturing details that have a big impact on the sound of a ride. The shape, for starters, plays a key role in the main tone of the cymbal: the more pronounced the shoulder curve, the more high frequencies you'll get. You can really hear this difference with Zildjian Constantinople rides, which come in two versions: classic and vintage. The vintage model is noticeably flatter, so it gives you a much darker sound, with low harmonics right from the attack, while the classic version is brighter and also lighter.

The shape and size of the bell are also important to consider when buying. Indeed, if you want to play claves with the bell, it’s better to choose a substantial one. First, practically, because a domed cymbal is easier to "catch" with the stick shoulder to produce an accent. Then, its sound will be more powerful, both in attack and sustain. On the other hand, it will be less integrated into the harmony of the shoulder. So, if you want more gradualness with the mid ride, you’ll prefer a smaller bell. Note that there are even rides without bells, called Flat Rides, which offer an ultra-regular ping with a progressive compactness of the attack across the entire plate surface.

Finally, note that the cymbal finish also creates subtle variations in its response. An unpolished cymbal, whose bronze remains oxidized, matte and dark, will have a darker and drier sound, like its color. A shiny surface, polished with buffing wheels, will be brighter and more cutting. Some models even combine the two finishes on different areas of the plate to increase the harmonic range of the ride… A good compromise!