What is a ride cymbal and what is it for?

A ride is a large cymbal that keeps a steady rhythm. You play the bow with the tip of the stick for a clear ping for counting, and the bell for bright accents. Depending on the cymbal and striking force, the ride gives more or less wash (a build-up of overtones). It's one of the main cymbals of a kit alongside the hi-hat for keeping time. We'll suggest a ride for your style and sound.

Which ride size to choose — 18, 20 or 22″?

The 20″ size is the universal standard with a clear ping and controlled wash, suiting almost all styles. The smaller 18″ is more compact, crashes more easily (crash-ride) and is handy for a small setup. The larger 22″ sounds lower, louder, with a rich wash and a powerful bell — for rock and a big stage. For a first ride, 20″ is convenient. We'll suggest a size for your genre and playing volume.

Which ride weight is better — thin or heavy?

Weight (thickness) determines the character. Thinner rides give more wash, a softer ping and 'open up' more easily on a hard hit — they can even be crashed, which is valued in jazz and lighter music. Heavier ones give a pronounced clear ping, a loud bell and less wash — they're cutting and read well in a loud rock and metal mix. Medium weight is versatile. We'll suggest a weight for your style.

B8 or B20 for a ride?

The alloy determines the sound and price. B8 bronze sounds bright and crisp, is affordable and common in budget and mid series — a good choice for learning. B20 bronze is the traditional alloy of professional cast cymbals with a complex, rich sound, a more expressive ping and richer overtones. Brass is only for entry level. For the studio and serious playing, B20 is better; to start, B8 is enough. We'll suggest for your budget and style.

Which ride for a beginner, rock or jazz?

A beginner will be fine with an affordable 20″ ride in B8 alloy — for example, the Zildjian ZBT, Sabian SBR or Meinl HCS series. For rock and metal, heavier 20–22″ rides with a pronounced ping and a loud bell that cut through the mix are chosen. For jazz, lighter, darker rides with a rich wash and a delicate ping are taken. Style and volume determine the choice. We'll suggest a series and weight for your genre.

Which ride brands do you offer and where to buy?

Rides from Zildjian, Sabian, Meinl and Paiste — from affordable series (ZBT, SBR, HCS, PST) to professional cast B20; premium Zildjian K, Paiste 2002 and Istanbul Agop — to order. We select by size, weight, alloy and your style. Delivery across Ukraine; pickup in Kyiv (Olzhycha St, 15). Warranty, instalments. Phone +380 (73) 060 01 01.

Ride

Q: What are ping, wash and bell?

Ping is the clear sound of the stick tip on the ride's bow, giving an expressive rhythmic pulse for counting. Wash is a build-up of overtones, a hum that accumulates during active playing; lighter cymbals give more wash. The bell is the dome-shaped centre of the cymbal, hitting which gives a bright, loud accent popular in many styles. The balance of these components determines the ride's character. We'll suggest a cymbal with the right ratio.

Q: How does a ride differ from a crash?

A ride is usually larger and heavier — it's meant for keeping a steady rhythm with a clear ping and has an expressive bell. A crash is thinner and smaller — it gives a short explosive accent and decays quickly. Some cymbals are versatile (crash-ride): you can both keep the rhythm and make accents with them, handy for compact sets. In a full setup the ride and crash play different roles. We'll suggest what you need.

Ride cymbals 18, 20, 22″ — Zildjian, Sabian, Meinl, Paiste

A ride is a large cymbal for keeping a steady rhythm. You play a clear ping on the bow with the stick tip, bright accents on the bell, and active playing gives wash (a build-up of overtones). The size (18, 20, 22″), weight (thin, heavy) and alloy (B8, B20) determine the character of the sound. Unlike a crash, a ride is heavier and meant for a constant rhythm. At SoundsGood — Zildjian, Sabian, Meinl, Paiste for learning, stage and studio. Genuine cymbals with a warranty, delivery across Ukraine.

🔔Ping and bell
Rhythm and accents

📏18, 20, 22″
Different character

⚖️Thin and heavy
Wash or ping

🎵B8 and B20
Start or pro

🥁 Popular rides

Zildjian

Premium Zildjian K, Paiste 2002 and Istanbul Agop — to order. Not sure what to choose? Write your style and budget — we'll match a ride.

📏 Sizes and sound

📐 18″ (crash-ride)

A compact ride that crashes easily. Versatile for a small setup and beginner musicians.

📐 20″ (standard)

A universal size with a clear ping and controlled wash. The most common choice for a first ride.

📐 22″

A lower, louder sound with a rich wash and a powerful bell — for rock and a big stage.

🔔 Structure

The bow — for ping; the bell — for bright accents; wash — a build-up of overtones during active playing.

🎯 How to choose a ride

📏 Size

20″ — versatile; 18″ — more compact and crash-ride; 22″ — lower and louder. Choose by style and playing volume.

⚖️ Weight (thin/heavy)

Lighter — more wash, can be crashed, for jazz; heavier — a clear ping and a loud bell, for rock and metal.

🎯 Ping or wash

Need a clear count — get a ride with a pronounced ping; looking for a rich hum — choose a more washy cymbal.

🔔 Bell

A loud expressive bell matters if you often play accents on the dome; in some series it's brighter and more cutting.

🎵 Alloy (B8, B20)

B8 — bright and affordable to start; B20 — a complex rich sound of professional cast series. Affects timbre and price.

🛡️ Brand and level

From affordable series to professional cast. Genuine Zildjian, Sabian, Meinl, Paiste with a warranty.

📊 Comparison of popular models

Model	Brand	Size	Alloy	Character
Ride 20″ B8	Zildjian	20″	B8	Entry
Ride 20″	Sabian	20″	B8/B20	Versatile
Ride 22″	Paiste	22″	B8/B20	Powerful
Ride 18″ crash-ride	Meinl	18″	B8/B20	Versatile
Ride 20″ B20	Zildjian	20″	B20	Professional
Ride 22″ dark	Sabian	22″	B20	Jazz, dark

Not sure which to pick? Tell us your music style, playing volume and budget, and we'll match a ride.

🏆 Delivery, warranty and instalments

🛡️

Official warranty

Genuine rides with a warranty

🔔

Global brands

Zildjian, Sabian, Meinl, Paiste

🎯

Help choosing

We'll suggest the size, weight, alloy and series

🏛️

Prozorro tenders

Supplies for schools and cultural institutions

🚚

Delivery across Ukraine

Nova Poshta; free from ₴4,000

💳

Instalment payments

PrivatBank, monobank — up to 12 payments

❓ Frequently asked questions

What is a ride and what is it for?

A large cymbal for a steady rhythm: you play a clear ping on the bow with the stick tip, accents on the bell, and active playing gives wash. One of the main cymbals of a kit alongside the hi-hat.

Which size — 18, 20 or 22″?

20″ — versatile; 18″ — more compact and crash-ride; 22″ — lower, louder, with a rich wash. For a first one, 20″ is convenient.

Thin or heavy?

Lighter — more wash, can be crashed, for jazz; heavier — a clear ping and a loud bell, cutting in rock and metal. Medium weight is versatile.

What are ping, wash and bell?

Ping — the clear sound of the stick on the bow for counting; wash — a build-up of overtones during active playing; bell — the dome for bright loud accents.

How does a ride differ from a crash?

A ride is larger and heavier — for a constant rhythm with a clear ping and a bell; a crash is thinner — a short explosive accent. A crash-ride combines both roles.

B8 or B20?

B8 — bright and affordable to start; B20 — a complex rich sound of professional cast series. Brass is only entry level. For the studio, B20 is better.

Ride for a beginner, rock or jazz?

A beginner — 20″ B8 (ZBT, SBR, HCS). Rock/metal — heavier 20–22″ with ping and a loud bell. Jazz — lighter, darker, washy. We'll suggest a series and weight.

Which brands and where to buy?

Zildjian, Sabian, Meinl, Paiste — from packs to professional cast B20; Zildjian K, Paiste 2002, Istanbul Agop — to order. Delivery across Ukraine; pickup in Kyiv. Phone +380 (73) 060 01 01.