In jazz, the ride carries the time. It runs through almost every bar, sits right next to the upright bass and piano, and has to support quiet brush passages just as well as a powerful solo. So it pays to choose it carefully. This article covers how to recognize a good jazz ride, what role weight and size play, and which Turkish Cymbals ride series are worth considering. All the rides we present here are hand-hammered B20 cymbals from Istanbul – we explain further down why they still sound so different.
What a jazz ride has to do
A ride for jazz doesn't have to be loud, but it does have to be clear. Four points will help you when listening:
- Stick definition: Every stroke on the bow should remain audible as a note of its own, even in fast swing patterns. If the eighth notes disappear in a haze of sound, the ride is usually too open or too loud for jazz.
- Wash: A carpet of sound builds up beneath the strokes. A warm, open wash links the strokes into a flowing pulse; a dry wash keeps the playing tight and controlled. Both are common in jazz – what matters is that the wash doesn't cover up the bass and piano.
- Bell (cup): It sets accents and structures the groove. In jazz it should sound clear without constantly pushing itself to the front.
- Response: A good jazz ride reacts even to light strokes and to brushes. The more sensitively it responds, the more dynamic range you have to work with.
Whether you're after a warm, singing ride or a dry, short one depends on the style, the band and the room. In a small acoustic group in a club, the ride can be more open than in a louder fusion band, where every stroke has to hold its own against more volume.
Weight and size
Most Turkish Cymbals jazz rides are Medium-Thin or Thin. Thinner cymbals respond faster: even light strokes get them singing, the wash is more open, and many of them can be crashed. Heavier rides in Medium or Medium-Heavy sound more controlled and deliver more projection and a stronger bell. As a rough rule, a thin ride suits delicate, quiet time, while a heavy ride cuts through better in louder bands.
In terms of size, most rides are between 20" and 22". A 20" responds a little faster, while a 21" or 22" brings more volume and depth. Some series also offer larger rides, such as the Zephyros Ride in 24". If you play a lot in small rooms, a 20" is often the easier choice.
Crashing, brushes and rivets
In jazz, a kit often has only one or two cymbals besides the hi-hat. That's why it's worth checking whether the ride also works as a crash. The Jazz Ride Light can be crashed and used as a crash-ride. The Vintage Soul Ride and the Xanthos-Jazz Ride are crashable too, and the Zephyros Ride, played with the shoulder of the stick, sounds like a big, dark crash.
If you play a lot with brushes, look for easy response. Examples that work well with brushes are the cymbals of the Jazz series, the Millennium Ride and the NJG Ride Light.
Sizzle rides with rivets give you a special sound. On the Dark Hammer Sizzle Ride, the rivets produce an even, gentle sizzle that lays a floating carpet of sound beneath your playing in traditional jazz. The Travel Flat Ride Sizzle in 16" has no bell but two rivets instead, and sounds very dry yet warm. The NJG Ride Flat has no rivets at all, but no bell either: here you hear almost nothing but the stick and hardly any wash.
Hand-hammered B20: what shapes the sound
Turkish Cymbals are made in Istanbul from B20 bronze, that is, 80% copper and 20% tin. For all the series in this article, the bronze is cast by hand, heated in furnaces and hammered by hand, stroke by stroke. Since the material is the same across all series, the differences come mainly from the type of hammering, the lathing, the surface and the weight. A few examples from the series in this article:
- In the Jazz series, deep hammer strokes keep the sustain in check.
- The Millennium cymbals are finely hammered; because they're built close to Thin, they respond quickly. The Jazz series is hammered more deeply, is a little thicker and sounds darker.
- In the Cappadocia series, deep hammering makes the sound darker, drier and more controlled.
- In the NJG series, the rough top surface, lathed with a brushed texture, shortens the sustain and darkens the sound.
Because casting and hammering are done by hand in these series, every cymbal sounds slightly different – even within the same model.
Ride series that suit jazz
All of the following rides are made for traditional jazz, among other styles. They differ mainly in how warm or dry they sound.
Jazz series: warm and balanced
The Jazz series sounds warm, dark and colorful, but not dry. The Jazz Ride (Medium-Thin) has a smooth, balanced wash that doesn't bury the mix, plus a clear stick sound and a clean bell. The Jazz Ride Light (Thin) sounds more open and can be crashed.
Millennium: light and fast
Turkish Cymbals developed the Millennium series for jazz drummers. The Millennium Ride sits at the light end of Medium-Thin: the stick sound is clear, the wash open and balanced, and swing patterns don't get lost in the wash, even with brushes.
Vintage Soul: woody and crashable
The Vintage Soul Ride stands for the classic, warm sound of Turkish jazz rides. The stick attack is woody and soft, the bell and ping sound clean, the wash is open, and the ride can be crashed as well. The Xanthos-Jazz Ride is similarly warm and also crashable.
NJG: dry and short
NJG stands for “New Jazz Generation”. The NJG series sounds dry, dark, controlled and short, while the stick sound stays warm. There are three rides to choose from: the NJG Ride Medium with a short ping and a strong bell, the lighter NJG Ride Light for delicate playing, and the bell-less NJG Ride Flat.
Cappadocia: earthy and dark
At Medium-Heavy, the Cappadocia Ride is the heaviest ride in this selection. Every stroke stays clearly separated, underneath lies a dry wash with little shimmer, and the low-pitched bell structures the groove. In a jazz combo it responds to nuances, and the dry stick sound carries even quiet passages. It's the right ride for you if depth matters more to you than brilliance.
Earthy, dry ride with a clear stick sound and a low bell – from jazz and funk to grunge rock.
View the Cappadocia Ride →Listen before you buy
With Cymballand Virtual you can try out cymbals online before you buy, playing the edge and bell individually. Cymballand founder Bülent recorded all the cymbals there himself, without plugins and without effects. You can read exactly how it works in our article Testing cymbals online.
Conclusion
You'll find the right jazz ride by asking yourself a few clear questions: How much wash do you want to hear under your strokes, how sensitively should it respond, should it also serve as a crash, and how big and loud is your band? For a warm, open sound, Jazz, Millennium and Vintage Soul are good starting points. If you like it dry and controlled, take a look at NJG and Cappadocia.
If you're unsure, feel free to get in touch: Bülent has been playing Turkish Cymbals himself for more than 25 years and will help you choose. You can also visit our warehouse in Berlin by appointment.
