Denis Loncaric
When you are putting in the ride cymbals on your drum set, you will have to ensure you have the right stands for cymbals to place them.
The majority of cymbal stands function similarly. The unique stand could be the stand that houses the hi-hats.
Therefore, you should have your stands set up to place them in the kit. When you are putting them up, ensure that each stand comes with washers and some felts to protect the cymbals.
How to set up a ride cymbal?
After putting the hi-hats in place, it’s time to switch to your ride cymbal.
It’s perhaps the second important drum cymbal you have in your setup since it’s used almost as frequently as hi-hats. In addition, the ride cymbals can be pretty big and range between 20″ to 24″.
It would be best if you found the perfect spot with enough room for the ride out of the way of the other drums. Because you are playing the ride using the same hand you use for the hi-hat, most drummers put their ride cymbal on the right in their setup.
The best place to put it is between the center tom and floor tom. It will feel like a natural surface to play on.
However, if you put it away from your right, you’ll extend your arm uncomfortably.
Things to Know When Placing Your Cymbals
After you’ve gotten your cymbals’ placements at the right spots, There are other aspects to keep track of when setting up your cymbals.
You should be able to assess the angles and height that your stand is and try out a little more to create an original arrangement.
Height
The height of a cymbal is significant to every drummer. However, considering ergonomics, there are different ways of choosing the correct levels.
If you’ve ever seen drummers from the 20th century perform, you’ve noticed how high they stood with their cymbals.
The issue is withstanding your cymbals that tall is the fact that you will end up putting lots of strain on your rotator cuffs, elevating your shoulders every when you hit them.
It’s more efficient in your physique to have your cymbals in the lower part of your shoulders when sitting. In addition, this will require less energy to play cymbals.
It’s just an idea to start from, though. Then, after you’ve established them at this level, you can explore to find out which is the best for your needs.
Angles
The angles of your cymbals determine how your sticks strike the cymbals when you play. If they’re too low, you’ll not receive a strong impact by the stick.
If they’re tilted too high, and your stick is in contact with the shoulders of the cymbals. This increases the risk of them breaking.
The most effective way to place your cymbals is to place them at a flat angle with the slightest tilt. It is then essential to strike them by striking the sticks across rather than in a straight line at them.
A cross-wash motion will keep the cymbals intact to the maximum possible extent.
Some drummers, such as Chris Coleman and Anika Nilles, tilt their cymbals up.
However, it’s important to note that both have altered their cymbal playing technique in a manner that does not cause damage to the cymbals while they use them.
While this is a good thing for them, it’s not necessarily the most optimal cymbal positioning for most drummers.
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Where does the ride cymbal go?
The ride cymbal is the most common drum cymbal that is found in the majority of drum kits.
It can maintain a consistent rhythmic pattern that is sometimes referred to as a ride pattern instead of the accent of the crash. I
t’s usually played on the drum set’s right hand (or predominant hand), just over that of the floor.
How high should your ride cymbal be?
You can keep the ride cymbals at eye level.
Where can I strike a ride cymbal?
In all ride patterns, you’ll want the sound of the tip of the stick hitting the cymbal crisp and clear.
The standard “riding zone” for a ride cymbal lies midway between the cymbal’s edge to the center (or bell) of the cymbal. For the best results, use this area with the entire tip of the stick hitting the drum.
Last Thoughts
Finding the cymbal positions that are most comfortable for you can take a few years.
However, you’ll be able to rapidly set up your drum equipment once you’ve learned and mastered the typical setups.
Don’t be hesitant to move things around a little to see if you can find a more comfortable position.
The idea is to arrange your cymbals so that you can play drums to the best of your ability.
My name is Denis. I am a drummer, percussionist, music enthusiast, and blogger. Drums have been my passion for 15 years now. My idea is to write about the things I like and I am interested in. I want to share my drum passion with fellow musicians who walk, talk, and breathe drums.
