Make your crashes count. 

There’s no rule that says you have to hit a crash cymbal at the top of every section or bar. There’s no hard fast rule for this but think about why you are hitting a crash. Is it adding excitement or helping the song in some way? Or is it fighting with the other instruments, vocals or even your own drums? 

Also think about how hard you are hitting the cymbal. A cymbal is very loud even when hit lightly. One of the best ways to get your drums to sound bigger is to hit the cymbals softer. This is especially true in a recording enviroment. Think about it, the best representation of the whole drum kit comes from the overhead microphones. Your cymbals are the closest, loudest thing to these microphones. If the cymbals are louder than the drums, you can’t use these the overhead tracks for much of the drum sound. They can only be as loud as the cymbals. If you are playing hard, this is easier said than done, but it is possible if you’re aware.