Preach it! Testify! Hallelujah!

Sat, I played at the adventist church, and I actually had to forbid the drummer from playing the ride. Then, on Sunday, I sat in the congregation and listened to the exact same damn thing and couldn’t do anything about it.

Hence, the rant.

So like, the ride is the drum equivalent of praying in tongues now? ;)

hahaha. This is funny.

Being an occasional fill in drummer at a few churches in my life I can totally see (hear) what you mean. In fact one of the most important things I learned in my drumming “career” is that less is often more. Better to keep the beat than add that 32nd-note-Stewart-Copeland-drum-fill that ends a half measure off and puts the snare hit on 1 instead of 2 which instantly gives the front row visible whip lash.

That being said, on more than one occasion Mr. Lee has asked for “heavy on the ride.”

haha. this is great. it’s all in context though, but boy. and some rides have a bell that’s like a bullet through the ear.

Oh… believe me… when it’s right, it’s really right. It’s just more often soul-crushingly wrong.

mmmm… maybe it’s a sinful love, but listen to Omar Hakim on Sting’s “Fortress Around Your Heart”. It’ll bring back the Ride Love.

Here, here, Corey!

[quote comment="126542"]mmmm… maybe it’s a sinful love, but listen to Omar Hakim on Sting’s “Fortress Around Your Heart”. It’ll bring back the Ride Love.[/quote]

Fine. Omar Hakim is excluded from the rant.

On behalf of my client, Mr. Hakim, I thank you for the pardon. Now let us talk about my other client, Mr. Rosenquist….

[quote comment="126897"]Now let us talk about my other client, Mr. Rosenquist….[/quote]

No chance. That guy has been punishing me with ride for 12 years. Enough is enough!

Fight the power, Mike. Fight the power. Rise up and stand firm against the Oppressor!!! (* wait- are we still talking about Rosy?)

I’ve got some sweet ride samples that ALWAYS play in time. Live drummers are overrated.

(Ok, KIDDDING! Well, bad live drummers are overrated.)

Oh man.

Your problem is not with the ride cymbal. Listening to you slander the ride is like listening to someone preach about the evils of alcohol. Your real problem is amateur drummers. Stop playing with bad players. Stop playing in churches. Stop working with volunteers. Or stop being frustrated. But don’t knock the ride.

Also, I don’t believe “sweet ride samples” the way I don’t believe in The Tooth Fairy, The Easter Bunny, or Freewill Offerings.

Sting - The Hounds of Winter, You Belong To Me, When We Dance, Seven Days, St. Augustine in Hell, All This Time, The Soul Cages, Why Should I Cry For You
The Police - Message In A Bottle, Roxeanne, Wrapped Around Your Finger
Maroon 5 - This Love
Steely Dan - Aja
Tower of Power - What Is Hip, Don’t Change Horses In The Middle of a Stream
Toto - Rosanna
Soundgarden - Burden In My Hand
Guns N Roses - Sweet Child O’ Mine
Incubus - Amber, Nice To Know You
Spin Doctors - Two Princes
Foo Fighters - Learn to Fly
John Mayer - Waiting On The World To Change
U2 - Until The End of the World, New Year’s Day, Crumbs From Your Table
Gin Blossoms - Hey Jealousy
The Killers - When You Were Young
Counting Crows - Mr. Jones
Yellowjackets - Even the Pain

Honorable mention - Everything recorded from 1910-1949 that went from a 2-beat A section to a 4-beat B section, Elvis and The Beatles

That’s just off the top of my head. If I opened up iTunes or sat and thought for a day, I could come up with 500 more examples of signature ride grooves. And by that I mean the song wouldn’t be nearly as good without the specific ride part that was tracked.

Re-reading the comments, I realize that you’re not bashing the ride in principle (pun definitely intended) but merely the execution of it by less-than-great players. The reason they’re going for the ride is because IT’S THE “CORRECT” MUSICAL DECISION, not because they’re bored. It’s budding musicianship. There’s a reason they’re reaching for it, and it’s because subconsciously, or consciously through instruction, they’ve learned a bit of drumset orchestration. There’s a reason drummers have been going to the ride on choruses, bridges and double choruses for the last 57 years: it feels good.

My take is this: you nearly always get what you pay for. If you only pick up the sticks on Thursday night and Sunday morning, you’re going to sound like smelly ass. Want the groove to stay consistent? Hire a pro. There are plenty of desperate guys who need a gig, myself included. It’s not the ride cymbal’s fault that your church drummer sucks: it’s your church drummer’s fault. Life’s too short and there’s not enough great-paying gigs to work with anyone with less than perfect time. Seriously, why bother? Get out of church, there’s nothing hip happening there . . .

Oh and also, get ready for a little ride punishment of your own this weekend. I may “forget” my hats at the studio . . .

Well…

At least we all know now what it takes to get Rosy to read the blog.

What? Churches pay musicians?

…Freaking Southern Baptists.

Rosy, that was literally the best thing I have read all week.

I think my next blog will be:

Drummers - Why Baby Jesus Hates Them

He might write a novel!

Awesome. I know you read a lot of potentially ridiculous/funny/silly/inflammatory things each week so that’s a pretty cool compliment.

Oh, and I was tipped off on the post, Chad. But it’s nice to catch up on some of the other stuff while I’m here . . .

I figured as much. See you tomorrow, ride-boy.

MORE COWBELL!

JEREMY CLANG CLANG CLANG CLANG CLANG CLASS TIDDAYYYY!

So…

Is this the real Dave Abbruzzese, or someone having a bit of sport?

dude. Seriously? Nobody from Pearl Jam reads this blog.

I dunno… it was just so random. He could have been searching for “Ride Cymbal Chad Kicks Ass” for all we know.

Hm.. The IP traces back to D.C. I smell Roy.

So where the hell is drive-by Rosy? I miss that dude.

Four words:

“David Garibaldi” and “Terry Baker”

But for most part, you’re right, seeing as how both of these drummers only use the ride like 10% of the time, at the most…

Next time, when the drummer isn’t looking (so, whenever he is playing), just replace the ride with a remote hi-hat… chances are he won’t notice anyway :P

I told you, James, I have ride issues.