How do I make my ride cymbal sound better?

Question

My ride cymbal washes too much while I swing, and its crash lasts way too long. It's also disproportionately loud compared to my other cymbals (even when I hit them at the same dynamic). To temporarily solve this problem, I put a small strip of duct tape on the bottom of my cymbal. It has improved, but I wonder if there's a better solution out there. Any other suggestions concerning what I can do to experiment with my cymbals are welcome.

Answer 1

Add tape in a criss-cross fashion. You had the general idea. Make sure the tape is at least 1" wide. That will help you control. The 1/2" tape works so -so.



I know that at my studio, I use 1" tape during recording bands and other artists.

Answer 2

The use of tape dampens the vibrations of the cymbal, thus shortening the duration of the crash. It is a temporary solution because the adhesive will eventually dry out. I have also taped pennies or other coins to the cymbal to increase the dampening effect.



I am not certain what you mean by "wash". I have had several large (usually cheaper) ride cymbals over the years which had a terrible "overtone" in the vibration, causing a hum in the sound! It is risky, but doable, to drill holes near the edges to remove some metal. I have had success using this method with several cymbals. You make the holes at even intervals around the circumference of the metal. Start with just 4 holes and test the sound before you drill more. Use a variable-speed drill and don't work too quickly or you'll heat the metal adversely. One really cheap cymbal still had nagging overtones after 8 holes, so I gave up on it as a ride. However, one advantage of this drilling "fix" is that you can add rivets in the holes to give a completely different sound. An 18-inch Zildian which I put rivets into became my favorite ride. Experiment with how many rivets to use. Good luck

Answer 3

My Cymbal

Answer 4

You could try moongels. They are used mainly on toms to help muffle them just as duct tape does. I have put a couple on my ride in the past and it does take away some of the wash/overtones.