# Free ride cymbal samples

> Free ride cymbal one-shots, including bell hits and bow strokes, for jazz, house and techno grooves, with previews and a commercial-use verdict on each.

32 samples from 3 sources (Strudel sample banks 14, Wikimedia Commons 14, OpenGameArt 4), updated 2026-10-23. Picked from a live search and refreshed daily.

- Same search in the browser: https://sound.shep.bot/search?q=ride&category=drums.cymbal.ride
- Same search over the API: `curl "https://sound.shep.bot/v1/search?q=ride&category=drums.cymbal.ride"`
- Details, files and the credit line: `GET https://sound.shep.bot/v1/samples/{id}` with an id from the table below.
- Licence verdicts: "Commercial use OK" (with or without credit) is cleared for a release; anything else must be checked or is non-commercial. See https://sound.shep.bot/docs/licences.md

## Bow, bell and edge

A ride cymbal makes three sounds. Hitting the bow, the wide flat area, gives a defined "ping" with a wash underneath. The bell, the raised dome in the middle, gives a cutting, almost metallic tone that pokes through loud mixes. Hitting the edge makes it behave more like a crash. Good free ride samples label which one you are getting; if not, the bell is the short, bright one.

## Programming a ride pattern

Jazz rides swing: the familiar "ding, ding-a ding" pattern with the middle note pushed late. In house and techno the ride usually plays straight quarters or eighths, often a 909 sample with its pitch nudged up or down to sit with the hats. Vary the velocity of every other hit so the pattern breathes, and keep an ear on the low end of acoustic rides, which can build up when they ring continuously.

## Samples

| Sample | id | What | Source | Licence | Commercial use | Direct download |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| [Jazz ride pattern](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Jazz_ride_pattern.ogg) | `wikimediacommons:Jazz_ride_pattern.ogg` | Ride, 13 s | Wikimedia Commons | Public domain | Commercial use OK | yes |
| [Riverside Ride](https://opengameart.org/content/riverside-ride) | `opengameart:riverside-ride` | Ride | OpenGameArt | OpenGameArt per-item licence | Unclear: check the terms | yes |
| [Ride of the Valkyries](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ride_of_the_Valkyries.ogg) | `wikimediacommons:Ride_of_the_Valkyries.ogg` | Ride, 2:20 | Wikimedia Commons | CC BY 3.0 | Commercial use OK with credit | yes |
| [Easy Ride](https://opengameart.org/content/easy-ride) | `opengameart:easy-ride` | Ride | OpenGameArt | OpenGameArt per-item licence | Unclear: check the terms | yes |
| [Ride cymbal](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ride_cymbal.ogg) | `wikimediacommons:Ride_cymbal.ogg` | Ride, 6.0 s | Wikimedia Commons | CC BY-SA 3.0 | Restricted: read the conditions | yes |
| [Akai Linn · rd · 0](https://github.com/ritchse/tidal-drum-machines/blob/main/machines/AkaiLinn/akailinn-rd/Ride.wav) | `strudel:tidal-drum-machines/AkaiLinn_rd/0` | Ride, One-shot | Strudel sample banks | No licence stated | Unclear: check the terms | yes |
| [Joy Ride](https://opengameart.org/content/joy-ride) | `opengameart:joy-ride` | Ride | OpenGameArt | OpenGameArt per-item licence | Unclear: check the terms | yes |
| [Inverted ride pattern](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Inverted_ride_pattern.ogg) | `wikimediacommons:Inverted_ride_pattern.ogg` | Ride, 12 s | Wikimedia Commons | Public domain | Commercial use OK | yes |
| [Akai MPC60 · rd · 0](https://github.com/ritchse/tidal-drum-machines/blob/main/machines/AkaiMPC60/akaimpc60-rd/Ride.wav) | `strudel:tidal-drum-machines/AkaiMPC60_rd/0` | Ride, One-shot | Strudel sample banks | No licence stated | Unclear: check the terms | yes |
| [The Ride](https://opengameart.org/content/the-ride) | `opengameart:the-ride` | Ride | OpenGameArt | OpenGameArt per-item licence | Unclear: check the terms | yes |
| [Richard Wagner - Ride of the Valkyries](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Richard_Wagner_-_Ride_of_the_Valkyries.ogg) | `wikimediacommons:Richard_Wagner_-_Ride_of_the_Valkyries.ogg` | Ride, 4:18 | Wikimedia Commons | Public domain | Commercial use OK | yes |
| [Akai XR10 · rd · 0](https://github.com/ritchse/tidal-drum-machines/blob/main/machines/AkaiXR10/akaixr10-rd/Ride.wav) | `strudel:tidal-drum-machines/AkaiXR10_rd/0` | Ride, One-shot | Strudel sample banks | No licence stated | Unclear: check the terms | yes |
| [Sally Ride (As Told By NASA Chief Scientist Dr. Ellen Stofan)](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Sally_Ride_(As_Told_By_NASA_Chief_Scientist_Dr._Ellen_Stofan).ogg) | `wikimediacommons:Sally_Ride_(As_Told_By_NASA_Chief_Scientist_Dr._Ellen_Stofan).ogg` | Ride, 54 s | Wikimedia Commons | Public domain | Commercial use OK | yes |
| [Alesis SR-16 · rd · 0](https://github.com/ritchse/tidal-drum-machines/blob/main/machines/AlesisSR16/alesissr16-rd/Ride-01.wav) | `strudel:tidal-drum-machines/AlesisSR16_rd/0` | Ride, One-shot | Strudel sample banks | No licence stated | Unclear: check the terms | yes |
| [Light ride (Gravity Sound)](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Light_ride_(Gravity_Sound).wav) | `wikimediacommons:Light_ride_(Gravity_Sound).wav` | Ride, 11 s | Wikimedia Commons | CC BY 4.0 | Commercial use OK with credit | yes |
| [Alesis SR-16 · rd · 1](https://github.com/ritchse/tidal-drum-machines/blob/main/machines/AlesisSR16/alesissr16-rd/Ride-02.wav) | `strudel:tidal-drum-machines/AlesisSR16_rd/1` | Ride, One-shot | Strudel sample banks | No licence stated | Unclear: check the terms | yes |
| [Swinging Ride (Antti Luode)](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Swinging_Ride_(Antti_Luode).mp3) | `wikimediacommons:Swinging_Ride_(Antti_Luode).mp3` | Ride, 4:08 | Wikimedia Commons | CC BY 3.0 | Commercial use OK with credit | yes |
| [Alesis SR-16 · rd · 2](https://github.com/ritchse/tidal-drum-machines/blob/main/machines/AlesisSR16/alesissr16-rd/Ride-03.wav) | `strudel:tidal-drum-machines/AlesisSR16_rd/2` | Ride, One-shot | Strudel sample banks | No licence stated | Unclear: check the terms | yes |
| [Swinging Ride 2 (Antti Luode)](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Swinging_Ride_2_(Antti_Luode).mp3) | `wikimediacommons:Swinging_Ride_2_(Antti_Luode).mp3` | Ride, 4:17 | Wikimedia Commons | CC BY 3.0 | Commercial use OK with credit | yes |
| [Boss DR-110 · rd · 0](https://github.com/ritchse/tidal-drum-machines/blob/main/machines/BossDR110/bossdr110-rd/Ride.wav) | `strudel:tidal-drum-machines/BossDR110_rd/0` | Ride, One-shot | Strudel sample banks | No licence stated | Unclear: check the terms | yes |
| [Light ride 2 (Gravity Sound)](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Light_ride_2_(Gravity_Sound).wav) | `wikimediacommons:Light_ride_2_(Gravity_Sound).wav` | Ride, 11 s | Wikimedia Commons | CC BY 4.0 | Commercial use OK with credit | yes |
| [Boss DR-220 · rd · 0](https://github.com/ritchse/tidal-drum-machines/blob/main/machines/BossDR220/bossdr220-rd/Ride.wav) | `strudel:tidal-drum-machines/BossDR220_rd/0` | Ride, One-shot | Strudel sample banks | No licence stated | Unclear: check the terms | yes |
| [Richard Wagner - Ride of the Valkyries original](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Richard_Wagner_-_Ride_of_the_Valkyries_original.ogg) | `wikimediacommons:Richard_Wagner_-_Ride_of_the_Valkyries_original.ogg` | Ride, 4:18 | Wikimedia Commons | Public domain | Commercial use OK | yes |
| [Boss DR-550 · rd · 0](https://github.com/ritchse/tidal-drum-machines/blob/main/machines/BossDR550/bossdr550-rd/Ride-01.wav) | `strudel:tidal-drum-machines/BossDR550_rd/0` | Ride, One-shot | Strudel sample banks | No licence stated | Unclear: check the terms | yes |
| [Ride cymbal bell](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ride_cymbal_bell.ogg) | `wikimediacommons:Ride_cymbal_bell.ogg` | Ride, 6.3 s | Wikimedia Commons | CC BY-SA 3.0 | Restricted: read the conditions | yes |
| [Boss DR-550 · rd · 1](https://github.com/ritchse/tidal-drum-machines/blob/main/machines/BossDR550/bossdr550-rd/Ride-02.wav) | `strudel:tidal-drum-machines/BossDR550_rd/1` | Ride, One-shot | Strudel sample banks | No licence stated | Unclear: check the terms | yes |
| [Zero-project - 07 - The ride of the Dark Knight](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Zero-project_-_07_-_The_ride_of_the_Dark_Knight.ogg) | `wikimediacommons:Zero-project_-_07_-_The_ride_of_the_Dark_Knight.ogg` | Ride, 3:07 | Wikimedia Commons | CC BY 3.0 | Commercial use OK with credit | yes |
| [Rock beat ride cymbal](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Rock_beat_ride_cymbal.ogg) | `wikimediacommons:Rock_beat_ride_cymbal.ogg` | Ride, 7.7 s | Wikimedia Commons | CC BY-SA 3.0 | Restricted: read the conditions | yes |
| [Casio RZ-1 · rd · 0](https://github.com/ritchse/tidal-drum-machines/blob/main/machines/CasioRZ1/casiorz1-rd/Hat%20Open.wav) | `strudel:tidal-drum-machines/CasioRZ1_rd/0` | Ride, One-shot | Strudel sample banks | No licence stated | Unclear: check the terms | yes |
| [Casio RZ-1 · rd · 1](https://github.com/ritchse/tidal-drum-machines/blob/main/machines/CasioRZ1/casiorz1-rd/Ride.wav) | `strudel:tidal-drum-machines/CasioRZ1_rd/1` | Ride, One-shot | Strudel sample banks | No licence stated | Unclear: check the terms | yes |
| [E-mu SP-12 · rd · 0](https://github.com/ritchse/tidal-drum-machines/blob/main/machines/EmuSP12/emusp12-rd/Ride.wav) | `strudel:tidal-drum-machines/EmuSP12_rd/0` | Ride, One-shot | Strudel sample banks | No licence stated | Unclear: check the terms | yes |
| [Korg KRZ · rd · 0](https://github.com/ritchse/tidal-drum-machines/blob/main/machines/KorgKRZ/korgkrz-rd/Ride.wav) | `strudel:tidal-drum-machines/KorgKRZ_rd/0` | Ride, One-shot | Strudel sample banks | No licence stated | Unclear: check the terms | yes |

## Questions

**What is the difference between a ride and a crash?**

A ride is larger and heavier and is played in a steady pattern, keeping time like a hi-hat with a longer, pingier sustain. A crash is thinner and is hit for accents. Ride samples usually come as bow hits (the flat surface) and bell hits (the raised centre).

**Why do techno producers use ride cymbals?**

A ride on every quarter or eighth note adds drive above the hats without the hiss of an open hat. The 909 ride sample is a staple of techno for that reason.

## Related collections

- [Free crash cymbal samples](https://sound.shep.bot/samples/free-crash-cymbal-samples.md): Free crash cymbal one-shots, from short trashy splashes to long cinematic crashes, to mark the start of a section, each with a preview and licence verdict.
- [Free open hi-hat samples](https://sound.shep.bot/samples/free-open-hi-hat-samples.md): Free open hi-hat one-shots, from tight half-open barks to long washy sizzles, for house, disco, trap and breaks, with a licence verdict on every sound.
- [Free hi-hat samples](https://sound.shep.bot/samples/free-hi-hat-samples.md): Free closed and open hi-hat samples for programming grooves, from crisp drum machine hats to acoustic cymbals, each with a preview and licence verdict.
- [Free TR-909 drum machine samples](https://sound.shep.bot/samples/free-tr-909-drum-samples.md): Free Roland TR-909 drum machine samples: the punchy kick, clap, snare, open hat and ride behind house and techno, with previews and a licence verdict on each.
- [Free breakbeats and drum breaks](https://sound.shep.bot/samples/free-breakbeats.md): Free drum breaks and breakbeat loops for jungle, drum and bass, hip hop and breaks, with tempo where known and a licence verdict, including cleared breaks.
- [Free clap samples](https://sound.shep.bot/samples/free-clap-samples.md): Free hand clap and snap samples, from stacked crowd claps to tight drum machine claps, ready to layer with snares, each with a licence verdict and preview.

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Source: https://sound.shep.bot/samples/free-ride-cymbal-samples