Best Examples Of Cymbal Decays On A Recording

Louie Bellson and his Jazz Orchestra "East Side Suite". Lots of well recorded cymbals. Love seeing T-bone Burnett and Bruce Cockburn both mentioned here. Two of my favorites. I have the copy of Truth Decay from Takoma records and have always loved "Driving Wheel". 

Another good one that I just thought of is the song "Drifting" from Cry of Love by Jimi Hendrix. Very nice cymbal play at the beginning of that song.

Also try Deep Purple's '"Child in Time" from their "In Rock" disc.

One of my favorites for crash cymbal / decay is Creedence “heard it through the grapevine”.  To me it requires a bit of focusing because the recording Seems to have the mics slightly at a distance from the drums.  Again, to me it’s one of the most elegant stereo recordings that pleases me.

if you compare, say to a Steely Dan recording, almost all instruments are recorded individually but Gadd’s crash cymbal is to my recollection at a distance from the mic giving it an underpowered effect. 

The album Love of a Lifetime by Oteil and the Peacemakers but especially the song Overcast.

Del Amitri - "Crashing Down"