New drummer trend I've noticed

[Slider]

Anyone else noticed this trend where drummers use all ride cymbals?
No crashes at all, just huge rides (used like crashes).
I've recorded two drummers rsecently with this setup, so I figured it's something "the kids" are doing.
It sounds really weird.
My snare mic never had so much cymbal wash in it.

This and ripping off Queen seem to be big right now.

[theBaldfather]

A lot of hardcore kids around here are doing it. They arn't really into dynamics or any sort of quality sound. Just don't want to keep breaking cymbals. It's tough to record, and helps explain why every hardcore/metal record right now has replaced drums (very poorly most of the time) The bleed is just out of control. I'll accept my part of the blame for the 6 years of riding crashes that I did , but I mercifully avoided the ride=crash trend.

[I'm Painting Again]

wow that kind of sucks the decay times on most rides are so long..

[The Scum]

I think it started with a younger Dave Grohl, and Dale Crover. They were onto having everything big...26" kicks and rides as crashes. Riding on crash cymbals is also pretty common, just a constant bashing, yielding an unending wash.

Keith Moon did it too, but he could never settle down to just nail quarters like that.

I think they do it for the way it sounds through the Orban Optimod when it reaches the radio.

I've actually decided to swing the other way. I've got 3 rides on my kit right now, but all set low and angled, like Philly Joe or Max Roach. But I'm playing rock, hitting the shoulder of the cymbal with the tip of the stick. No crashes or FX cymbals at all. If I want an accent, I can catch the edge of the cymbal, or the bell, or loosen the hats just a little.

[r0t4ry]

to me this seems to be more of a jazz tradition. if you play it right you dont really need abunch of crashes. i use 2 to my content. poundin a ride in a rock setting though would be horrid to record or even listen to.

[cgarges]

This is something that I do sometimes, but I've been doing it for years. It's not a part of my normal setup or anything, but I might do it for a particular song on a record, just like I might use 18" hi hats or a newspaper over the snare drum.

I've seen a few other people do it on occasion lately, but I haven't really thought of it as a trend. In the last few years, I've seen cymbal sizes get a little bigger in general, so maybe it's an attempt by some players to get a larger crash cymbal sound without having to buy larger crash cymbals.\

Chris Garges
Charlotte, NC

[bluesbaz]

For me, the solution is to explain to the artist that it might be a good idea to consider using some thinner stuff for the recording, and be prepared with a set of thin rides which don't ruin everything. But hey, Im mostly a producer, so i have a chance o offer up input. You could always do what everyone else is doing and hardly use the overheads.
-s

[John Jeffers]

That just seems like it would sound like ass. I don't even like it when drummers use heavy crashes on a recording. I can't imagine a set full of rides.

[spankenstein]

In my very amateur setup I only have hats and a ride. I picked my ride on being versatile for crashing on. The drummer I've been playing with for a few years hits the edge on his ride a lot, I like it. We are not hardcore or metal at all.

[T-rex]

The sunny day real estate/Fire Theft drummer uses all rides and his work sounds pretty good.

I used this set up to record a song about a year ago, one big medium ride and two big jazz rides, it was a kind of epic song thing and it sounded amazing. But that was very song specific, if I was playing rock in a club the last thing I would do is bring all rides.

[Slider]

To give him credit he did walk in and say "you're going to fucking hate me" when he setup his kit.
He's heard me curse cymbal bashers (and those Z cymbals in general) many times.
This guy is a pretty good drummer and I don't question his setup, I just put up the mics and hit record.
He didn't bash them as hard as I thought he would.
It's not that bad sounding, just washy.

[bniesz]

crashing the ride cymbal isn't the problem i think.
the problem is kids playing the shit right through their kit and crashing the ride.

I think Scum nailed it though: Dave Grohl, Keith Moon.
Both names come to mind, and they sound amazing.

it's hard to pull off, but easy to fake poorly.
that's the trouble.

[xhavepatiencex]

i crash rides, and ive never had a problem recording myself, or being recorded. I thinkt he key is choosing a good ride. I like thinner big cymbals. I actualy only have two rides on my kit. one sabian aax studio ride, and one Zildjian Medium ride. I think it sounds good. sorry!

[UnlikeKurt]

A very good friend of mine, who is a drummer, and a very heavy hitter at that, has been known to use rides as crashes, for the above mentioned reason that a heavy hitter who smashes cymbals might not want to purchase new ones on a regular basis. However, he doesn't necessarily record with big slabs all over the place either.

[dirty]

it's hard to pull off, but easy to fake poorly.
that's the trouble.

Wow. IThat says it all. That's the problem with 95% of every single thing I do.