Every ride cymbal that Ive ever recorded that sounded like what you are describing sounded that way without a mike on it.

Turn the drummer's headphone send right up ...... especially on the o/h's . :lol: 8-)

In my experience, drummers play the way they play and foldback differences aren't going to change that much, if at all.

You can sometimes tame an overly ringy ride cymbal with a bit of tape on the underside (I like masking tape, gaffer tape is too heavy.. electrical tape can also work).. but this is not ideal and sometimes goes too far the other way and you end up with a clicky sound without much 'metal' character.

One thing worth trying is to put a mic in close on the ride cymbal.
By EQ-ing this for the clicky articulation and mixing it in to the overall sound, you can add that feeling of clarity that is missing in your overall cymbal pick up.

BUT... having said that, the secret to good cymbal sounds is good cymbals.
Those pro recordings almost certainly are made with carefully selected cymbals for the job.

Phantom,

What you're talking about is ride cymbal "wash". Depending on the type of music, it'll mostly disappear into the mix. Or, as also offered, put tape on the bottom. Or you can close mic it and EQ out the wash. Playing closer to the bell also tends to cause the wash to build a little less quickly, I find. But then you're getting a different sound.

The alternative is to select a different cymbal. Look for something with the word "ping" or "dry" in name. I use a SABIAN AA Dry Ride for most things but sometimes use a PAISTE Signature Dry Crisp ride when I want something a little "darker" (although it still produces nice "highs").

Cheers.