Low ride cymbal vs. High ride cymbal positioning!

[LRod1707]

I was playing today and analyzed something that had never occurred to me. I've always had my ride in a low position. Currently above/between my 2 floor toms. I've never placed it up, lets say between my 13" tom & 14" floor tom (Currently my 20" crash is in that slot). I've noticed that some drummers have that high ride positioning. I'm wondering the advantages & disadvantages of either. For me having it low is comfortable but wonder if I'm missing out on speed when reaching crashes which are all placed high. It's a longer trek and believe that more reach is required from where the ride is sitting now. Anyone have any opinions or thoughts on this?
Here is a partial picture of my setup:

 

[supershifter2]

I position all my cymbals for my natural reach. My ride is about chin level and slightly tilted. This is very comfortable , very easy to play the bell and play on different areas of the ride cymbal for me. It took some time trying different positions and angles to find the sweet spot for me. Its what fits you that matters. Try different heights and angles or flat.

 

[hsosdrum]

Through a friend of my family, when I was 15 years old I met Buddy Rich at a TV show taping and he let me sit behind his drumset. Buddy and I were the same height (5' 7") and he had everything positioned so he could reach it with the absolute minimum of movement. His ride cymbal was mounted very low right next to his small tom; I could play it with my arm completely relaxed at my side. I could also play his snare with both arms totally relaxed at my sides. The farthest reach was from my right hand to his left 18" crash, and even then my right elbow didn't have to move more than 5" from its resting position. That experience influenced my drumming career for the next 50+ years. I've always positioned my ride cymbal in the same spot Buddy had his (see photo of my current setup):

ALWAYS position the items you play the most often where they are the most comfortable to play.

 

[Seb77]

Here is a partial picture of my setup:

View attachment 482254

This looks very far off to the right to me. Close in as with Buddy's setup, see above, a low position can work well, but off to the side, I'd prefer it higher up (see Bill Stewart's setups for example).
Your setup looks a bit like Simon Phillips'. Now, he uses a ride on the left but he also used to use one on the right side for uptime playing, and it was above the lower rack toms.

Or take a look at Nico Mc Brain's setup: with mayn toms, his ride position , well a bit further out, would be the most comfortable to me I think. https://www.ultimate-guitar.com/new...s_drums_i_always_played_with_high_hi-hat.html

 

[LRod1707]

Thanks for all the input. Time to experiment!
Took me more than 30 years to see this, Lol!!

 

[CC Cirillo]

I jam ergo. Four piece kit. Everything low and close and easy to reach. My shoulders thank me for it.

I also think it makes me more relaxed in my playing, and I can get tense—or intense--at times, so these things matter.

I used to be all up in the:

But now I’m more:

 

[Drumbumcrumb]

I started with the ride in the high position you describe. As I started to get into music that was more “ride-centric” I also started to develop some pretty intense rotator cuff fatigue (and then pain).

Now my ride is as low and close to me as drums permit (I usually play 1 up, 1 down with the ride right over the bass drum). Obviously with a 7 piece setup you can’t get that close, but you do what you can. It gets more complicated with bigger, more elaborate sets but in a perfect world everything is a comfortable reach away. It’s fine to overextend to reach a rarely used China or something, but your main ride and crashes need to be where they can be played with a natural motion that can be repeated over extended periods without injury or discomfort.

 

[jaymandude]

I’m a high ride guy. I like the bell close to me. If the cymbal is low the body of the cymbal is too close. I raise the cymbal and then angle it pretty hard. 70’s style

 

[hsosdrum]

I’m a high ride guy. I like the bell close to me. If the cymbal is low the body of the cymbal is too close. I raise the cymbal and then angle it pretty hard. 70’s style

Over the years have you had any keyholing issues? (Serious question.)

 

[jaymandude]

Over the years have you had any keyholing issues? (Serious question.)

None at all. I've worn out some soft plastic and rubber sleeves, but can usually catch it before it gets too bad. I have a hard time thinking it will keyhole with a sleeve, just from the angle. This is maybe a little steep, but not too far off..

 

[JimmySticks]

I’m a medium chest height cymbal guy. All of my cymbals are nearly at the same levels, give it take a couple of inches up or down and with just a slight angle. I don’t hit them very hard, so they can be close.

I tried the low, flat thing, because I liked the look, but it doesn’t work for me. I haven’t tried the really high angled style though, it just seems like a lot of work.

 

[ThomasL]

Chest height and roughly 30 degree angle. This way the stick does most of the work.

 

[dboomer]

I think the decision is mostly based on whether you play your ride cymbal with a French (thumb up) grip or a German (palm down) grip. If French it can go up and with German it should be lower.

 

[richardh253]

Steve Jordan went thru a phase..."Hang 'Em High"

 

[richardh253]

I was always attracted to the way BR and others like Max Weinberg pulled everything in low and close - Max lowers the crash cymbals more than Buddy did. Dino Danelli also in Rascals early days. I like the cozy feeling of low ride and also way the stick lays into the ride at that height/angle.

 

[florian1]

low, about 15 degree angle and next to my small floor tom...let the stick do the work and easy transition to kit. Thats at the Rock n Roll HoF - on guitar was Joan Jett's guitarist Ricky Byrd. Nice guy, fun to play with.

 

[NobleCooleyNut]

I prefer my ride cymbal within easy reach - no over extending or wasted motion . It is set up where my hands pretty much naturally fall . I don’t ha s do twist to play the ride cymbal like the OP would .

 

[cworrick]

Steve Jordan went thru a phase..."Hang 'Em High"

View attachment 482565

I see your Steve and raise you one Ndugu

 

[JDA]

raise you one Eric Gravatt..1972 Weather Report

 

[JimmySticks]

raise you one Eric Gravatt..1972 Weather Report

Sorry, that should be against the law...