Jazz is among the most beautiful music genres in the world. Most people like jazz music because of the smooth sound and musical instruments used. But we enjoy jazz music without knowing what the musicians take in producing this type of music.
There are various instruments used in producing jazz music. This includes jazz cymbal and drum heads.
Every part of the drum set plays its role, and each part is essential in producing quality sound. Ride cymbals are those round-shaped metal frames mounted on a drum set.
The cymbals are some centimeters away from your hands. Finding a cymbal that suits your needs can be like looking for a needle in a haystack.
Therefore, we are going to look into some factors to study when choosing the best ride cymbal. Here are some of the factors.
Things to look into before buying the best jazz ride cymbal
You cannot visit the market and pick just any ride cymbal. Picking any ride cymbal can make you land in the worst cymbals for Jazz ever. Thus before purchasing your jazz ride cymbal, consider the following:
Quality
Quality is the first thing that you should look at when purchasing your jazz cymbal. Ride cymbals for Jazz come in different qualities that are available in our markets today. Some cymbals are well known for having a long life and well-functioning, while others are just as weak as possible.
A ride cymbal designed from B20 alloy bronze is much more durable and reliable than those made of B1 or B12 alloy bronze construction. Have this aspect of quality whenever you are shopping for your ride cymbal.
Brand
Brand names do not necessarily act as a yardstick in measuring the ride cymbal’s quality and efficiency. But, the fact remains that some instrument manufacture companies perform much better in the production of instruments than other companies.
This is why most people are buying cymbals with the trademarks of Meinl, Zildjian, Sabian, Pearl, and more others.
Such brands have high stakes, and their qualities are different from the rest. Therefore, you may consider the brand of the ride cymbal when purchasing yours. But always have in mind that the best brand available in the market might not suit your ride cymbal needs.
Performance
You need to know that the performance of all cymbals is not the same. There are ride cymbals designed to offer full, bright, and high-pitch warm sound, while others are created to provide you with a darker tone.
Ride cymbals perform well according to the way they are forged, hammered, and sliced. Therefore, always shop for a compatible ride cymbal that will always make your performance exceptional. Thus choose the best jazz ride cymbal for the best performance.
15 Best Jazz Ride Cymbal Reviews and the Best Ride Cymbal Brands for Jazz.
We know it can be not easy finding the best ride cymbal for your drum needs. Therefore, we have made a list of several best ride cymbals in our markets in the entire globe. Let us go through this list of best products.
Meinl 20-inch HCS Traditional Ride Cymbal Finish
Meinl HCS is among the best Jazz ride cymbals available in the market. It comes with a two-year warranty hence no need to worry after purchasing it.
The product is a high-end quality made from high-quality materials. Its design makes it a great beauty as well as a practical working cymbal. The cymbal is 20 inches in size and has the Meinl brand name printed on its brass surface.
The cymbal gives a clear and ping sound that echoes with a cutting bell to deliver an overall bright and essential sound. This cymbal spices up the beat and gives excellent rendition. The cymbal is designed for amateurs and student players.
One fantastic feature with this cymbal is, it can preserve its tone while satisfying the brunt of the drum sticks striking it.
Sabian SBR2012 SBR 20-inch series Pure Brass
For amateurs, this is the right cymbal that will leave you yawning for more practicing time. The cymbal is well hammered and has a lathed design.
It produces a bright and focused tone and is virtually excellent for lively genres of music like Jazz. However, it can be more excellent for orchestral music rendition.
With this type of ride cymbal, you will not need to have a large volume of a large cymbal. This is because the cymbal is designed to offer a shrieking sound and has a light voice construction. The cymbal is a bit heavier, but the good thing is that it comes with a one year warranty.
Zildjian ZBT 22-Inch Ride Cymbal
Zildjian ZBT is another perfect ride cymbal for a student drummer or a beginner. It is 22 inches in size and provides a medium-high tone having a clean, precise definition that functions like a charm in any drum setup.
It is among the enormous ride cymbals from the Zildjian ZBT series. The cymbals claim high value in presentation and versatility.
ZBT is made from high quality, durable and precisely hammered to give powerfully high-pitch and bright warm sound. The cymbal is excellent for rock, Jazz, and pop musical beat rendition.
Zildjian Planet Z 20-inch Ride Cymbal
The Planet Z cymbal is 20 inches in size and is specifically made for beginners. The cymbal offers a bright and responsive sound that is suitable for any practice session.
The cymbal offers excellent performance hence giving value for your money. With this type of ride cymbal, you can play many types of songs. The Planet Z cymbal is designed to receive different kinds of beating.
The cymbal is made of nickel-silver alloy material, which is much excellent for the expression and performance it renders. This type of cymbal can be used in all music genres and styles.
Thus, this cymbal always allows you to discover your ability and know the best genre that you can perform. The cymbal exists in splash, hi-hat, ride, China, and band cymbals types.
Meinl Cymbal B20JCR Byzance 20-Inch Ride Cymbal
If you are a drummer playing jazz music, this is the perfect medium ride cymbal to complement your playing style. It is one of the most long-lasting and perfect cymbals measuring 20 inches in size.
The surface of the cymbal is different because it has a flat ride construction. The cymbal’s surface has big hammer marks that ensure that the cymbal provides a warm and dark sound.
The cymbal features three laser engraved Armand sign and rivet clusters that show a traditional and beautiful finish.
Meinl cymbal is a perfect option for jazz music lovers because the sound produced is smooth, soft, and reassuring. Also, the cymbal is perfect because it can hold a long and sizzling sustain.
Another feature that you will discover while using this cymbal is that it starts to produce symbiotic sound based on its former extra dry performance.
The cymbal gives a bright and extremely musical vintage sound that flavors up your drumming rendition. The cymbal is made with a copper-tin ratio of 80/20.
Zildjian Armand 19” ‘Beautiful Baby’
Zildjian is given the name beautiful baby because it is a true homage to the art of cymbal. It packs a musical and bright image Zildjian sound with the correct amount of preserve and sizzle due to the three-rivet cluster along its edge.
The cymbal offers a versatile medium ride thin, low, medium sound, and substantial volume make it easily adaptable to all music genres.
However, its stick definition is voiced for jazz music patterns, which is an excellent thing for jazz lovers. This ride cymbal won’t tear your pockets because it is pocket friendly and high quality.
Zildjian K Constantinople 22” Medium Ride Cymbal
One of the most outstanding achievements of Zildjian was the manufacture of Constantinople. The craftsmen who designed them are ranked as the best. They made Zildjian the best brand in the entire globe.
When you take a look at this cymbal, you will realize that it is well made to suit the needs of professional drummers. It has a length of 22 inches. This cymbal’s versatility ensures that it gives a top-quality performance compared to others in the same category.
The essential thing about this cymbal is that it can be used in any drum setup. Some of the top qualities introduced to this cymbal include the average, the thin texture, and the cluster hammering.
Therefore, if you are a determined drummer looking for something to deliver jazz style play, you no longer need to worry; we got you covered with the Constantinople Cymbal. But, then, train your wallet to understand that this product is not that cheap ride cymbal.
Zildjian Kerope 20″ Ride Cymbal
The Zildjian Kerope is yet another excellent and perfect instrumental complimentary product from Zildjian Company. It is designed to be wider than others; that is, it is 20 inches in size. It is made to be a ride cymbal; thus, it offers warm, dark, and complex sound, with unbeatable wash.
Some players might be looking for something to complement the retro beats of the 1950s and 60s. We got you covered, our precious player, this is the right cymbal for you. However, this model doesn’t have a bell; thus, if you need a bell strike, this is not the right cymbal accessories.
This cymbal does not lose its ride tone even if you crash its mid-phrase. The good thing is that, unlike other cymbal brands, Kerope doesn’t have issues with escaping overtones. It has sonic and aesthetic qualities that are replicated by the proprietary design and lightweight design.
Zildjian K-custom 20-Inch Dark Ride Cymbal
Avedis Zildjian is here with yet another super quality product. A crash cymbal and ride cymbal are two different things in the drumming industry. The difference between these two is the tapered thickness and its uniformity.
The Zildjian K-custom is about 20 inches in size with a crash sound rendition. This cymbal is excellent for drummers who love jazz music.
The cymbal has pretty dark tones with enormous power so that when you play it, it hits like a crash.
Another feature that will amaze you about this cymbal is the overtime that resonates perfectly across the combo without losing its bearing regarding the overtones. This cymbal is both for amateurs and professional crash cymbal drummers.
Sabian 22-inch HHX Manhattan Jazz Ride Cymbal
If you are a drummer exploring better options, then Sabian Cymbal might be what you have been looking for. The cymbal is lightweight, that is, it is about 6 pounds. The cymbal features a subtle but simmering blend of dark tones.
This HHX Manhattan cymbal measures 22 inches in size that provides a large space for the drummer. This cymbal enables the player to get a dark, simmering sound.
This is a perfect cymbal for people who want to play the best of jazz beats. Thanks to the agitated bite and ability to project tone: the HHX series provides much effective performance when compared to others.
The thing that gives out the difference between the HHX series and other cymbals is that, while other cymbals generate a dark tone, the Sabian HHX series is several steps ahead with more simmering heat and more musical rendition.
This is the type of cymbal that the average and professional drummer wants to hear and project. The HHX series projection will always make your sound to be heard uniquely with its innovative design.
Meinl 20-inch Ride Cymbal CC20DAR
I overheard some people argue that black cymbals are restricted from some beat renditions. This doesn’t mean that they do not deliver the quality they are expected to produce, especially at affordable prices.
This ride cymbal from Meinl is an ideal example of a dark cymbal with perfect quality. The dak color does not affect the metal part of this cymbal. It is the only product with this unique color for itself.
The dark color offers a more precise sound that is famous with classic cymbals. The cymbal also has an additional lathing evens out the tones when giving a robust response.
This cymbal is among the most responsive ride cymbals that you can ever find in the market. It can also qualify to be a medium tone crash.
Meinl 20-inch Medium Ride Cymbal (CC20MR-B)
Meinl CC20MR-B represents some of the best cymbals available in the market and particularly the best brand. Meinl is not just a brand, but it is a reputable one.
It is the best cymbal for metal drumming. The type and quality of features that this cymbal possesses are noteworthy. The size of the bell provides a pingy sound that you might need when playing.
The cymbal has a classic reflective shine that you can easily maintain. Meinl used its pressure technology to give an excellent shape out of the best and long-lasting B10 bronze alloy material.
This cymbal is the right product that gives you value for your money.
Meinl 21-Inch Medium Ride Cymbal (C21MR)
Meinl is among the kings when it comes to making musical cymbals for drums. This cymbal provides a precise balance between size and feel. The cymbal also features a long-lasting bronze metal material construction that responds precisely well to hits.
This cymbal produces a clear pingy sound that makes the 21-inch elegant cymbal even more pretty. This cymbal’s volume is well defined and suitable for producing that fantastic sound that will be good for the beginner or student player.
The Meinl ride cymbal gives a lovely shimmering rendition of washy sound when hit at the edge. The cymbal is more versatile and functional.
With this cymbal, you can enjoy the best in a full, warm sound for several musical style applications using this cymbal.
Stagg CS-RJ20 20-Inch Classic Jazz Ride Cymbal
Stagg CS-RJ20 is the best because it is made of the B20 alloy that is long-lasting and reliable. This is another classic jazz cymbal suitable for all players who love to play jazz beats. This cymbal features an excellent sound profile similar to some of the best brands in the market.
The Stagg CS-RJ20 is 20-inches in size, thus making it not just ideal for beginners, but suitable for professionals looking for something more portable but excellent in quality and rendition sound.
This cymbal’s weight is less than 5 pounds; hence, it is suitable for its projects’ jazz sound. It has a smaller bell than the other brands, but the bell can provide functional tones making it a great choice.
Meinl Cymbal B24 BADAR Byzance Jazz Big Apple Dark Cymbal
Meinl is a jazz cymbal for the ardent jazz music fans. This cymbal can help you create that old jazz beat and play along with the rest of the music. The big Apple ride is a cymbal that defines the best historic Jazz.
When you take a look at the heavy brass body, the Meinl Big Apple ride has a spot-like dot design that contributes to the dark intonation it provides. You will enjoy the fast dark wash flow and earthly lows that work side by side with delicate sticks definition with this cymbal.
The cymbal comes with a small bell and a distinguishable large flow that creates a full and reliable bodied sound for good performance.
Conclusion
The best cymbal will give you the ability to play precisely according to the style of music you need. Thus you now know the correct ride cymbal for your jazz music. Whether you are a beginner, student, or professional, you need to get a cymbal that suits your purpose.
Buy yours today, and take your music to the next level. Your audience is waiting for you to improve and entertain them with soothing music.
