Jump to content
Please note: You can easily log in to MPN using your Facebook account!

What is your favorite *CYMBAL* song of all time?


djarrett

Recommended Posts

We ... as drummers, notice things that others might not. I know for me ... I am especially atuned to the cymbals in a song.

I remember (and loved) the ride cymbal Steve Smith used in Journey on Don't Stop Believing!

I actually gauged my ride cymbal choice based on that sound!

 

What is your favorite *CYMBAL* song of all time?

 

DJ

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Replies 20
  • Created
  • Last Reply

DJ, you are a certified drum geek with this topic, and so are all of us who respond to it.

 

I'm with you on the Steve Smith cymbal sound. I never even thought about what a ride cymbal was supposed to sound like until I heard "Faithfully."

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Originally posted by serpico3:

I guess I'm the only Die Hard Jazz Cat Here , My choice is Monty Alexanders last two Albums. Also ED Thigpen on Oscar Petersons West Side story.

 

Hey Serp,

 

I thought Die Hard Jazz Cats were only allowed to talk about Tony Williams' ride sound.

 

I'm surprised no one has mentioned Steve Gadd. Perhaps so much emphasis is placed on the warmth of his drums, no one thinks about his cymbal sound. Or maybe his sound's not distinct. But if we're talking about cool use of cymbals, Gadd's pretty famous for that, right up there with Danny Gottlieb. I like how he uses his cymbals on ballads, playing some sixteenth-note deal between a ride and a crash, while splashing his hi-hats using his left foot. I've certainly stole all those tricks from him.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

if you're gonna talk Bill Bruford w/King Crimson, you gotta mention the broken cymbal he saved from the trash can and used extensively on Red.

 

another song that stood out from the 1st listen for me was James Gang The Bomber. i love the way the drummer (sure wish i could remember his name) built the groove with different cymbal tones in the slide solo section (but lord do the toms sound bad on that song). as a meaningless aside, i prefer the version on the greatest hits album. i hated it the 1st time i heard the extended 'bolero' part...cheesy.

 

and i reckon the Beatles (via Ringo,Sir George Martin et. al.) should get an honorable mention for starting (?) perfecting (!) the ride-cymbal-as-crash (or is that backwards?)-ducked-by-the-kick/snare-sound....still really love that sometimes.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

hahahahaha popmusic.... I'm probably the only other one who got that! ...being a PG fan and all. http://www.musicplayer.com/ubb/smile.gif I bet I could pull off that cymbal work no problem. In fact I'm doing it right now!

 

I second Bart's vote of Danny Gottlieb's ride with Pat Metheny. Listen to the Offramp album. It's funny, Danny always seemed more of a rock drummer more than a jazz drummer to me.

 

Others: Terry Bozzio's fast, sandwiched chinas during the late 80s, Manu Katche's splashes on Tears For Fears' Sowing the Seeds..., and we can't go without mentioning Stewart Copeland's hi-hats from Regatta De Blanc onward.

Just for the record.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Vinnie on Ten Summoner's Tales. All the tunes are great, but the ones that the cymbal work stands out are Seven Days(the whole song, but especially the drum solo at the end, which starts at 3:55, and there is a transcription in ModernDrummer from sometime in the last 9 months i think) and St. Augustine in Hell, this is a great example of over the barline in an odd meter(7/8)
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Originally posted by rlhubley:

Vinnie on Ten Summoner's Tales.

 

You are so right! Seven Days is amazing, particularly when he doubles the time in the lost verse. That whole thing drives, then it just goes :: http://www.musicplayer.com/ubb/tongue.gifow::: like a rocket. All the same, I think Vinnie should've paid Stewart Copeland some sort of residual for stealing his signature hi-hat work.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Originally posted by Gaddabout:

I think Vinnie should've paid Stewart Copeland some sort of residual for stealing his signature hi-hat work.

 

I take issue with that. I seriously doubt Stewart ripped of Vinnie's hi-hat technique.

Just for the record.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Ian,

I really liked Simon Phillips cymbal playing on J.P.'s Sin after Sin...the way he would make the high hat breath with graduated dynamics...awesome.

 

Uriny------YUK Don't stop believing DJ....LOL

 

What about for crashes? Lots of nice ride selections posted. Nicko McBrain and his Paistes...Rhyme of the Ancient Mariner-Powerslave...great crash sounds...phenomenal for what it is.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hey, Felix:

You know ... when we were growing up in my era ... you listened to alot of FM radio. Journey was one of those power ballad groups!

 

I will give you a few more that I really used to dig the cymbals on ... REO Speedwagon!, Electric Light Orchestra, Elton John, Dobie Brothers, STIX, Queen ... should I go on?

 

As a drummer, I specifically listened for the cymbal work and cymbal choices used for these drummers.

As a musician, I appreciated and listened to just about every musical style that was out there.

I have really never boxed myself into a musical style that caused me to shun other genres.

 

As far as crashes, listen to Vinnie's cymbals on Stings brand new day album.

 

I am actually more of a splash lover myself. Nothing better than a great 10" or 8" splash that adds the right adjective to a musical statement!

 

 

DJ

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

×
×
  • Create New...