How does your band set-up look at a gig?

[fendsboy417]

Sorry if the title didn't make sense, I just couldn't think of a better one. Anyway, I was wondering where each player is on stage when you gig. We (from drummers point of view) have the lead guitar, then singer, bass (me), and rythm. Kinda looks like this:






PS sorry drummer is centered behind singer but close enuff.

 

[threshar]

Drums in back, center. I am usually to the right of the drums (from the audience perspective). Guitar on the other side of drums. Keys on other side of guitar. Percussion/trombone in front / slightly next to me. Singer front & center, or wherever he ends up.

I like to be nice and close to the drums so I can hear them well, specifically the kick. Very important for our music.

 

[anderbass]

 

[visa]

hard to get wrong only depends where the guitar and bass amps are.

 

[Chazinroch]

I play in 3 bands. 2 of them I'm on the stage right (facing the audience), back next to the drummer with my amp in his ear. One band due to a left handed guitar player to avoid neck clash (and balance the vocalist across the stage), and the other due to a left handed drummer. I like setting up in back right next to the drummer on the high hat side (which I do in the 3rd band). I have played in many venues where the stage size and shape have dictated how we set up.

 

[palembic]

Hi there,
I am a newbie here (not to bassplaying however).
From the audience point of view I like to be left. I seldom can have that space (due to the incredible little bars we play in) but still, I am most comfortable that side!
Why?
Since I am right-handed (so I pluck the striungs with my right hand and hold the neck with my left hand) and I am in the back (singer/guitar/solo and Keyboard/guitar/solo in front) I can see in a way "over" the necj in a quick glance what the drummer is doing or going to do. Of course I can hear him -for some reason I ALWAYS hear the drummer- but after some 7 years playing together I can kind of fore-seen what he's up to! Remember Ringo Starr stating once that he could only had visual information about what part of the song his Beatle-fellows were into: the wiggling of the butt of Paul.
Mmmm ...well ...I guess it works also the way around.
OK-ok ...my name is Paul but that has nothing to do with it I guess!

 

[HomeBrewTJ]

Here's our stageplot:

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[Baird6869]

I am in a 3 piece and a 4 piece. So we set up like this....

or....

 

[beaglesandbass]

drums- back, center
vocals- front, center
bass- front, stage left
guitar- front, stage right

 

[D.A.R.K.]

when playing with a live drummer, i prefer to be on their snare/hats side of the kit. it's easier for me to lock in and communicate with the drummer in this setting.
my favourite setup yet though, is to have the bass and drums setup front and center, facing each other (inward). bass amp rear center.
however, this really only works when playing drum n' bass and not having other members (guitards, or the fool with the ego and mic, for example) to worry about.

 

[Twnty1inRF]

I always try to set up on the hi hat side of the drummer, it helps us lock in better.

 

[nsmar4211]

Small bars means different setups every venue .

But, usually singer/rhythm in middle, me n guitar player one on each side. Which side just depends on where we are playing. I usually end up standing behind singer due to lack of space (pictures of her look funny with a bass neck coming out from behind her). I have also stood in front of a palm tree next to the PA in front of the guitarist at a venue..... no worries about hitting guitars then! I like having the singer on one side of me cause that means I get the monitor without a ton of lead guitar in it I'm thinking that setups are going to be pretty standard, drums in back, everyone else in front in a arc of some sort .

Perhaps a "weirdest setup" would be fun? I'm voting for the stuck-between-a-palm-tree-and-a-hightop-table for my oddest place to stand......

 

[TheDarkReaver]

depends on the size of the stage, how the backline gets placed etc.

 

[jazzbo58]

Here's a picture from one of our rehearsals. We set up they same way at a gig. Somtimes we have a second guitarist, he sets up next to guitar player #1.

Cheers,
Jim

 

[SKATE RAT]

well if i'm playing w/ a 2 guitar band i like to set up on the same side as the "lead" guitar.it is more balanced that way.with 1 guitar it doesn't matter as much

 

[SAlcott]

Facing the stage, L-R: Pedal Steel, Fiddle I and II, Drums (center), Bass, Guitar, Lead singer up front and center. Keys to his left and back a bit.

 

[cheapbasslovin]

I'm thinking of getting a wireless and just camping at the bar. That would be a good setup

Mine is usually the same as everyone else's, but the strangest (and most difficult) for me was having a structural column and a couple of stairs between me and the drummer. I probably could have fit behind the column but then I couldn't have been an obnoxious headbanging jerk for the crowd, and also I wouldn't have been able to see the singer. A few songs with some improv were tricksy. But it wound up a pretty good gig.

 

[opivy3056]

From left to right (facing the stage)

Drums-> bass -> guitar..... no one further behind either person. Amps slightly angled to face drummer, drumset slightly angled to face amps. Depends a little on the stage too

The drummer and I set up mics facing towards eachother. We use a lot of visual cues because our music is pretty freakin improvisational. In order to keep things tight, he and I need to make eye contact. The guitarist just makes beautiful noise on top of our foundation.

We try to not care what we look like at all. Just sort of paying mind to the audience but not playing to them. I got tired of standing right in front of people.....with all their.. faces looking at me

 

[Munjibunga]

 

[DanielleMuscato]