I prefer to stand where I can see both the drummer's dominant hand (usually his right hand) and the main guitar player's fretting hand (also usually the right hand) and modified so I can see everyone else as well to take cues on vocals, keys, horns, leads, etc.
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If the guys carrying stadiums with stage amps back in the 60's and 70's had done that, they'd probably be a lot less deaf now. So stupid high stage volume it makes sense.
If I'm playing upright I play with the drummer to my right.
If I'm playing electric, I play with the drummer to my right but I also move around stage and walk around a bit
If I'm playing electric, I play with the drummer to my right but I also move around stage and walk around a bit
We have a rug that goes upstage center. The drummer sets up just slightly stage right off stage center. I tuck myself right next to his hats slightly stage left of center. He likes me close. We tend to "lock in" better that way. Lead singer is stage center in front of us. Guitar is stage right, keys stage left.
Most of the time in my band from left to right, looking at the stage it goes, Lead guitar, me(bass), Drummer in back middle, singer in front middle, rhythm guitar, then keyboards.
After our first gig the singer noticed I was in the back sort of next to the drummer and saw me dancing while playing and stuff, and asked me to come up front next to him..that's what I do, I actually brought a wireless rig for my bass a couple of times and went out into the crowd dancing with the ladies during "maneater, and "play that funky music" ha ha fun..but I quit doing that because I didn't want it to become a gimmick.
We do have another config due to space sometimes, and I end up on the hi hat side of the drummer but everything else is the same...I don't care about being in a different spot it makes no difference to me as long as I can hear the drummer and the bass drum..which is all I listen too. I'm not looking at the guitar players hands, or chords, or anything like that, I'm also the only one in the band that does not have or use a monitor..I just play my parts and lock in with the drummer and let everything else take care of itself..
After our first gig the singer noticed I was in the back sort of next to the drummer and saw me dancing while playing and stuff, and asked me to come up front next to him..that's what I do, I actually brought a wireless rig for my bass a couple of times and went out into the crowd dancing with the ladies during "maneater, and "play that funky music" ha ha fun..but I quit doing that because I didn't want it to become a gimmick.
We do have another config due to space sometimes, and I end up on the hi hat side of the drummer but everything else is the same...I don't care about being in a different spot it makes no difference to me as long as I can hear the drummer and the bass drum..which is all I listen too. I'm not looking at the guitar players hands, or chords, or anything like that, I'm also the only one in the band that does not have or use a monitor..I just play my parts and lock in with the drummer and let everything else take care of itself..
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Bingo. Don't sweat it. Every band is different and there's no set way to do it. I don't typically sing or talk at all, in my 6-piece I'm usually in the back row next to the drummer because we want the singer and guitarists to shine. But it's always subject to change based on the space we're playing in.
Its easier for me to see the kick drum on the hi hat side.no rules, really, but there is some 'tradition' involved depending on the type of music/genre. e.g., i've generally preferred the hi-hat side of the drummer when playing swing or bebop jazz because it lets me connect better with the snare/hi-hat/kick. watching the 'physicality' of a good drummer gives the bassist boatloads of spontaneous information during the playdown. in some funk and rock bands, especially if it's loud: it matters less.
quiet drums played with 'finesse' = hi-hat side, close to drums
loud drums played with 'muscle' = anywhere with a line-of-sight to drummer
the above assumes that the drummer is musical and not just a wannabe with a set of drums. if the drummer is a poser = wear green spandex and stand wherever you want for the best view of the bar/chicks/bouncers/etc.
It's all personal preference, as others have stated. I find that a little weird though.
My personal preference is to be stage left.
We have a guitar player with Parkinson's and other health issues. He has to sit while playing, he is always on stage left or right. Our other guitar player is almost always in the middle. It's not because he's all that or even sings that much. He is great at witty banter between songs, so he's best in the middle. I'm usually on the other far side not taken. It works good because there's not much rock posing with our man in the chair. Myself and the guitar player in the middle interact quite a bit. I still do quite a bit of the singing, but I prefer to be on the side. Then I can play stoic bass player when I'm not on the mic too.
No set rules, it just works for us.
Peace N Chicken Grease
No set rules, it just works for us.
Peace N Chicken Grease
As an introvert, I usually try to choose a spot where I can interact more with my musicians than with the audience. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy being around a noisy crowd, but I prefer picking a spot where I can be next to any of my musicians and get in a vibe with them, specially my drummer. Also, our vocalist tends to interact with the crowd often and, well, sometimes the interactions get cringy (specially around people who've been drinking too much at the gig).
I like to be where I can best hear the kick drum. I seldom use in-ears so I have to hang close to him/her.
I personally like standing on my drummer's left side. This way, when I turn to the side with my front toward the drummer to look at the fretboard, I'm also facing the audience. And I can also glance at the drummer too. This works for me so that I can potentially look at everyone/everything without looking disengaged.
My preference is, snare, hi hat side, this helps me in a few ways one is a unobstructed view of the kick drum pedal for a tight pocket
the other is snare and hi hat side helps to work the groove accents. If is it is a show where the drums are fully mic'ed, then it isn't as important, because I can get it in my IEM, so I can be anywhere
the other is snare and hi hat side helps to work the groove accents. If is it is a show where the drums are fully mic'ed, then it isn't as important, because I can get it in my IEM, so I can be anywhere
Wow hot topic!
I always prefer tucking in back on the hi hat side. That goes for both electric/dance and upright/jazz gigs.
It seems a lot of jazz groups like the bass in the middle but I don't care for that at all ... unless it's a deeper stage and I have room to set up a bit farther back.
I always prefer tucking in back on the hi hat side. That goes for both electric/dance and upright/jazz gigs.
It seems a lot of jazz groups like the bass in the middle but I don't care for that at all ... unless it's a deeper stage and I have room to set up a bit farther back.
I usually stand to the right of the drummer so that my neck points in (on small stages I don't like the neck hanging off the edge). Sometimes I have horns partially in front of me, sometimes not.
Seems like most bands I've ever seen pretty much are singer in front, drummer in the back, guitar and bass sort of in the middle unless they sing. Only real different one I saw was one iteration of Mike Watt's band, where they were kind of all across the front of the stage, including the drummer.
Seems like most bands I've ever seen pretty much are singer in front, drummer in the back, guitar and bass sort of in the middle unless they sing. Only real different one I saw was one iteration of Mike Watt's band, where they were kind of all across the front of the stage, including the drummer.
That's very cool. I tend to go by the rule that drummers should be seen and not heard, but this defies that completely.
