Stage Left or Stage Right?

[sotua]

Hi Hat side, easiest line of sight (as in eye contact, not just look at what the drummer is doing) with the drummer. Which usually means audience's right, stage left. Unless you're playing with a lefty drummer.

 

[two fingers]

No preference at all. I usually try to get on one far end though. That way I can back up to jam with my drummer or go up front to sing either way without getting in another musician's way.

 

[scottyd]

Always on the audience left. For years I didn't even realize it. We joke that it's similar to having a side of the bed.

 

[EdwardofHuncote]

Stage left. (it keeps that long bass neck out of traffic)

I also like my amp/rig set up at about 8 o'clock over my left shoulder. Actually, that's more important than where I am on stage.

 

[D.M.N.]

If I have a choice, I'm always stage right. It just happened at some point. Not that I'm adverse to stage left, but at this point it feels a bit odd. Maybe it's a subconcious thing of seeing my favorite bass players almost always stage right (Bruce, Entwistle, JPJ, etc).

 

[chettheferret]

I go with stage left because our guitar player is a lefty so if we switched places our headstocks would be slamming into each other.

 

[DavC]

always depended on my job in a given band ... and the fact that i've been deaf in my Left ear since 1975 . !

if i just played bass or keys and sang a little , .. either fine , but prefer stage Left w/ my good ear toward the band ..

when i played keys, bass , trumpet , sang lead , and ran sound on stage ... then stage Right , so i could hear myself , monitors and PA / room ... w/band ear toward the band ...

 

[GastonD]

I prefer the hi-hat side whenever possible, but it will frequently depend on how the house stage is set with the amps and everything. Plus, my latest band for a couple of years had two guys singing (one of them guitarist also), so their setup also dictated the overall arrangement.

 

[Thrust Meatnozl]

Stage left in every single band I've been in (and that's quite a few) but not out of any real preference. It just works out that way.
It's a definite plus as far as drummer related chit-chat goes though.

 

[Jools4001]

Now when you say 'stage', do you mean a proper stage? Or just the band side of the duct tape on the carpet?

 

[Lee Moses]

I've done right, left, and center, and I'm fine with all of them. Whatever works best for the particular band works just fine for me. But if I had to pick one, I would pick stage left, because it is more conducive to eye contact and communication with the drummer.

 

[SanDiegoHarry]

I need try to be to the left of the drummer so I can see him (I'm blind in my left eye). If my ears get blown out, I like to watch the snare for 2 & 4 hits to help keep my time

 

[Bodeanly]

No preference.

I didn't think to add "no preference," assuming everyone would prefer one over the other. Edited.

 

[Ajapses]

Stage right. I have (only) one thing in common with Marcus Miller - deaf in one ear. Good ear faces (earses???) the drummer.

 

[lavmonga]

You know what's weird, I my first long term band, I was always stage right, felt weird if I ever had to be on the other side. In my most recent long term band I was always stage left, and felt weird opposite. In my current band, I'm back on stage right. For me, I guess it just depends on the feel of the band.

 

[basslayer]

if i'm not directing the band, i stay on the hi hat side to maintain easy eye contact with the drummer. this is in the inverse it its a swing jazz gig where the drummer is using the ride heavily.

 

[moody]

I will note though I have already put in a reply. If there is a mixer on stage and logistics dictate that it has to be on a particular side then I will set up on that side. I am not going to spend half the evening walking to the other side of the stage to tweak levels.

 

[Rockin Mike]

for right-handed players having the bass on stage left makes more sense because
closer to the snare/hi-hat
the length of the bass neck does not intrude into center stage. Let the guitarist have stage right, his neck is shorter.

I don't know why every band I've been in has me on stage right. Whatever, it's not that big of a deal.
Just have to be careful not to stab the singer when I'm going for my own mic.

 

[waynobass]

for right-handed players having the bass on stage left makes more sense because
closer to the snare/hi-hat

I don't understand people mentioning the hi-hat. I can hear every piece of the drumset from anywhere because it is so loud. Also, I pay attention to kick and snare much more than cymbals.

 

[sikamikanico]

Stage-left, but I have no idea why Perhaps someone told me I should be on the left (perhaps the hi-hat theory played a role)... also, my first ever gig was on a bass amp owned by the bar, which was positioned on the left, and maybe I just assumed that I was always supposed to be on the left? Or maybe it was just that the left corner tends to be darker, and I like to hide in the shadows