Very dry ride? Muting a ride?

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nk126

nk126

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The other day a mic cable came loose from a ceiling hook in my practice space and wound up laying lightly against the edge of one of my crash cymbals - a 17 K custom dark. The muting/choking effect gave the cymbal a kind of cool ride sound - lots of articulation and a metallic sound that could be cool for ambient or synth/electronic heavy music. It was a little too choked and bright/pingy, but got me thinking.

Any ideas for cymbals that give a very dry, articulate ride sound? And/or any tips for safely choking a cymbal for getting a drier ride sound? Tape on the back?

My main ride is a 20 k custom dark. Its very versatile but a bit brighter and washier than what Im hearing in my head for this new sound.

Thinking of trying:
Zildjian uptown
Dream bliss 22
One of those K special dry rides, whatever theyre called.

Any recs?

Thanks!
 
i use a early 60's 22" Zildjian flat top ride cranked all the way down with the wing nut. gives a nice 'bed' of sound without too much wash. the stick sound seems dryer on it when the cymbal is choked.
 
I wouldn't buy any new cymbals at all, use some athletic tape on what you have, top, bottom, anywhere you want, experiment and have fun.
 
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My Bosphorus New Orleans ride does this for me. Lightly lathed (mostly raw), 20 inch, 1860 grams. Beautiful.
 
To my (admittedly unsophisticated) ears I've yet to hear a specialized "dry" cymbal that didn't sound like some other cymbal with a piece of tape on it. Not that they don't exist-or that others with a more refined sense of such things couldn't tell the difference, but to me mind you.

So I will go with Tanabata on this one and recommend some time with a roll of tape to see what that might get you first... One of my best "dry rides" is nothing but an old A medium ride with a 1 1/2" x 3" piece of gaffers tape on the underside of the bow between the edge and the bell (right under the hit zone). Sounds better than some far more expensive dry rides I have heard and played.

Not saying at some point I won't make the investment in a real dry ride...but for now? It works.
 
This is great. Thanks all for the recs, and esp the just tape it advice.

Athletic and gaffers tape dont leave much residue, right? I mean, on skin and walls they dont, so...
 
nk126 said:
This is great. Thanks all for the recs, and esp the just tape it advice.

Athletic and gaffers tape dont leave much residue, right? I mean, on skin and walls they dont, so...
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Depends on the quality of the tape-AND how long you leave it on. Gaffers tape is usually pretty good but even that will leave a residue if left on "indefinitely". I usually pull mine off unless I need it for a specific reason because of this. However, even if it is left on the residue cleans up very easily with no damage or staining etc. (in my experience anyway).

A lot of guys on the forum recommend using the blue "painters tape" and say that it leaves absolutely no residue or marks so you may want to try that out.
 
Athletic tape seems clean to me, the same stuff you'd use for weightlifting...etc. It's made to pull off your skin, and a sort of cloth mesh. I have seen it pull coating off and Evans G1, but I blame Evans.

I have old cymbals with lots of masking tape tracks underneath...... doesn't matter to me, looks cool, even.
 
Tanabata said:
I have old cymbals with lots of masking tape tracks underneath...... doesn't matter to me, looks cool, even.
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Yeah, I know, I just fret about this sort of stuff before I do it. Once its done, I usually couldnt care less so long as it sounds good.
 
You can get 0.5 wide clear soft plastic tubing from Home Depot or something equivalent, slice it open on one side, and then lap it over the edge of your cymbal for a great dry effect with no residue concerns. Super cheap to experiment with.
 
poppies77 said:
You can get 0.5 wide clear soft plastic tubing from Home Depot or something equivalent, slice it open on one side, and then lap it over the edge of your cymbal for a great dry effect with no residue concerns. Super cheap to experiment with.
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Thats a cool idea. Like the no residue and easy on/offf. Will try for sure. Thanks!
 
I use blue painters tape as it comes off easy w/out leaving residue. I have heard gaffers tape is the same. You can do duct tape or clear packaging tape too but both will leave nasty residue when you try to remove.

Try running a strip at 12:00, 3PM, 6PM and 9PM from about an 1" from the edge to about 1" from the bell. It will dry the heck out of it.....I'd start with a strip at 12PM then play it, then add 6PM then play, then the other 2 to not overdeaden it.....
 
So, when you add tape to a cymbal, you run from center to outer edge?
I just assumed you'd do the same as on a drum head, in a circular pattern.
I know there's no "rules", just wondering what is most common and effective.
 
Didn't Meinl come out with those cymbal magnets last year to mute cymbals. I think that would do the trick.
 
Another option is a Drum Dot. You can move it anywhere you want, and leaves no residue. I will sometimes use one on my ride when volume is a concern.
 
For a while, I tried lots of different kinds and position of tape. heavier tape closer to the edge shortens overall sustain.
If you want to dry up the ride sound, make it less sizzling, small strips at 3 6 9 12 o'clock or one long strip from bell to edge work well without shortening the overall sound (less mass, but still interrupting the high vibrations).

You can also put Moongel on cymbals. I like the plastic tubing idea above, sounds useful with short pieces.

These days I don't use much tape anymore, I found some dark or short sounding cymbals and leave the others free to be their sizzling self.(older As in particular).
 
Seb77 said:
You can also put Moongel on cymbals. I like the plastic tubing idea above, sounds useful with short pieces.
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Yes, I use moongel on a 70s 21" Zildjian A that is normally pretty bright. You can move it around to find the right spot and I've even used two pieces in different places. Works well and leaves no residue.

gabo
 
Here are some tape patterns I have used. If you use duct tape in these positions, it will really dull the sound. This is on the bottom of the cymbal, not the top.

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Of the Cymbals you list, the uptown will do what you are asking for. Dream Bliss 22 seem washier to me. Try the 24 - it is very different sounding than the 22, and more dry. I am having good luck with a Sabian Apollo, though many of the big and ugly series rides will also do the trick. Also, Zildjian K custom dry light ride 20 or 22. They are no longer made built the 20s come up used a lot and I love them.
 
CAMDRUMS said:
Zildjian K custom dry light ride 20 or 22. They are no longer made but the 20s come up used a lot and I love them.
Click to expand...
Ditto on the K Custom Dry Light!

I own a 20 that gets a lot of use when I need a mellow Dry sound.
It's one of my all-time favorites for low volume gigs.
 
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