The Evolution of the Ride Cymbal Pattern from 1917 to 1941: An Historical and Critical Analysis Page: 1

                                
CHAPTER 1
INTRODUCTION
The purpose of this study is to provide a historiographical and musical analysis
examining the jazz ride cymbal pattern, from its inception on snare drum, woodblock,
small accessory cymbals, hand cymbal mechanisms and brushes through what
becomes known as the modern-day ride cymbal pattern. This research examines a wide
array of drummers and bandleaders, with the objective of identifying the earliest
recordings of this important addition to jazz drumming and popular music history while
analyzing the ride cymbal pattern's evolution through definitive recordings. As the ride
cymbal pattern was not always played solely on the actual ride cymbal, I refer to this
rhythm as simply "the pattern" throughout the text. This can be seen in Figure 1.
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Figure 1: The pattern
The earliest known recordings where this rhythm can be heard are the
commencement of the research. This includes the pattern being played on the
woodblock or woodblock and snare drum. The goal of this research is to document the
evolution of the pattern from: woodblock, small cymbal (including: china cymbal, hand
cymbal mechanism), brushes, hi-hat, ride or china cymbal, to the contemporary ride
cymbal. Therefore, this research begins with the earliest known recordings that clearly
display the pattern as it is played on any of the instruments mentioned above. The

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