Solving Paiste for jazz

Level42

Level42

Active Member
I don’t play a lot of traditional jazz, I’m much more of a fusion guy but when I do occasionally get a call for a trad gig, I’ve always just used my Ks by default because that’s what you’re supposed to use, right?

A few years ago I switched from Z to Paiste for my main gig, which I have been thrilled with. Recently got an opportunity on an upcoming trad gig which I am very excited for but it got me thinking about my Paistes. I have a lot of them. What could I make work? Could I find anything in my arsenal that would give me the complexity of the Ks with the clean Paiste shimmer on top?

I think I did it. The hats were the hardest part. An unlikely candidate fit the bill perfectly. Here’s where I landed:

15” Giant Beat hats
20” Signature Traditional Thin Crash
22” Signature Rough Ride
22” Masters Swish

Loving the setup. Excited to get it on a gig!

Who’s using Paiste for jazz?

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Mr Farkle said:
I’m not, but I have wanted to ever since I discovered Jimmy Macbride. He has this kind of modern sound while playing “traditional” jazz. Great combination.

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Yeah dude. Miki and Jimmy play after Ari Hoenig at Smalls all the time. Saw them last year. Absolutely incredible playing from everyone, and of course his cymbals sounded great!

To the OP: I play lots of Traditionals in my Latin band. Far cry from Real Book tunes though. I'd love to hear that Rough Ride you've got.
 
Sounds like a great setup. I use a Paiste Signature Heavy Dry ride 21” for fusion and rock. I’ve never tried it in a traditional setting because Paiste Signature rides are heavy (well over 2700g weight, usually). I’d love to hear the Rough ride.

The 15 Giant Beats make sense. I recently heard a pair of Paiste 15 2002 Big Beat hats and thought they’d work very well for jazz. I was surprised.
 
dwsabianguy said:
Yeah dude. Miki and Jimmy play after Ari Hoenig at Smalls all the time. Saw them last year. Absolutely incredible playing from everyone, and of course his cymbals sounded great!

To the OP: I play lots of Traditionals in my Latin band. Far cry from Real Book tunes though. I'd love to hear that Rough Ride you've got.
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Slightly jealous here on the other side of the country. I found Miki’s Mood durning the pandemic and was an instant fan. Paiste got my attention at that time. That Masters Dry Ride makes the Istanbul’s that I usually go for sound dull or unrefined or just less interesting. Is it true that Paiste is more consistent from cymbal to cymbal? I wonder if most of the Masters Dry sound like that or if that’s just a good one.
 
Awesome set-up. I'm a fan of the Rough Ride - I have an old 20 and like to use it with either an 18" Dark Energy Crash or 18" Traditional Crash.
 
Mr Farkle said:
Slightly jealous here on the other side of the country. I found Miki’s Mood durning the pandemic and was an instant fan. Paiste got my attention at that time. That Masters Dry Ride makes the Istanbul’s that I usually go for sound dull or unrefined or just less interesting. Is it true that Paiste is more consistent from cymbal to cymbal? I wonder if most of the Masters Dry sound like that or if that’s just a good
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I would say that yes Paiste is generally more consistent than Zildjian or Sabian. I don’t own a Masters Dry Ride, but I have played a few and they all sounded great and nearly identical.
 
cornelius said:
Awesome set-up. I'm a fan of the Rough Ride - I have an old 20 and like to use it with either an 18" Dark Energy Crash or 18" Traditional Crash.
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Yeah man, the Rough is a cool pie. A different thing though…it can get get away from you if you let it. I’ve had it long enough to know what it wants to do.
 
Rick Dior talking about the Paiste Signature Rough rides! Seems like the Rough rides were a rare bird in the Signature line!

 
Level42 said:
Yeah man, the Rough is a cool pie. A different thing though…it can get get away from you if you let it. I’ve had it long enough to know what it wants to do.
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I kind of like cymbals that have some headroom, that you have to control - maybe that's why I like the Rough Ride. It's definitely a bit of an oddball, but I like it. Like most Paistes, I found it records really well...

As far as consistency goes, the Rough Rides had some variety to them (as Rick Dior mentioned). I owned two 20s, and one was nicer than the other.
 
pre- Twentys and post-Twentys
pre-Twentys they had were happy with what 6-7 lines B20 Sound Creations, 602s, B8 B15 etc

then was an acquiescence that.. avoiding or ignoring "Turkish" "dirty B20" (as some call it) - couldn't be avoided was a bad move in the Sales in the marketplace (spurred on by Meinl' rapid sales success with Byzance + in sales maybe)

So when Paiste Masters are touted today it's a bit of an inside chuckle as Paiste resisted and tried different avenues (Sound Creations) before succumbing to the dirty Turkish sound

First time I hit (a kid had on his set) a Paiste Twenty 18" it was, it responded and sounded similar to one of my 18" old K.

Transformation; acquiescence;
 
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I think the solution is just put some cymbals in your bag and play the gig on them. I've played 602s and Sound Creations on jazz gigs, and played somebody else's 2002s, they're not all equally great and they have to be handled a certain way, but they're fine. I don't use them any more because I have other things that sound better and are easier to play for that.
 
I had a good amount of Dark Sound Creations.
One day I decided to set up every one of my
high school 'A's and do a contrast comparison.
All the A's were lower in pitch and more powerful .
Paiste
post- Twentys that's changed.
Prior they inherently had a lot of highs
an inordinate amount my view for some musics
 
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I usually play
22” Masters Dark Ride
20” Masters Dark Crash Ride
14” Masters Dark Hats

Depending on the gig the third cymbal is either the 22” Masters Swish, the 20” 602 Flat, or a 16” Masters Dark Crash. If it’s a louder jazz group or I need more definition I switch to a 20” Masters Medium Ride.

But I’ve been very impressed with Big Beats and Traditionals and Dark Energies for Jazz, too, and I’m sure your setup will be amazing.
 
I'm a 602 fan...

My typical jazz setup is 14" preserial 602 hats, 20" 602 Medium Flat Ride, and a 20" 602 ME or 20" Signature Dry Crisp Ride.

I've also used a 22" Big Beat just to mix things up.
 
Neal Pert said:
I usually play
22” Masters Dark Ride
20” Masters Dark Crash Ride
14” Masters Dark Hats

Depending on the gig the third cymbal is either the 22” Masters Swish, the 20” 602 Flat, or a 16” Masters Dark Crash. If it’s a louder jazz group or I need more definition I switch to a 20” Masters Medium Ride.

But I’ve been very impressed with Big Beats and Traditionals and Dark Energies for Jazz, too, and I’m sure your setup will be amazing.
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Oooh, I haven’t tried the Masters dark hats….need to score up a set of those and give them a ping.

How about that Masters Swish? Isn’t she a gem?
 
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