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What side of the drummer should the Bass set up??
- Thread starter Thumpinthenight
- Start date
It depends on what you are playing...for me I like to work off of what the drummer is doing TIME wise...and Hi Hat is usually a good time reference...oh BTW we do everything from Rock Pop R&B Funk Jazz and even Country covers along with Progressive Jams...we have even done "wing Walking" sets where I will ask the audience to yell out notes and we procede to make something up on the spot...I then say, "If it sucks remember YOU wrote IT!" It works because we play very tightly in TIME...so for me I need to hear the HiHat...when playing the type of music we do...the timing is essential. When we have P.A. assist, My drummer asks me to turn my cabinet towards him and we always ask for that set up if we are doing gigs where we provide stage layouts!
I'd rather be on the floor tom side, but I've had problems with the bass rig causing sympathetic vibrations in the drum, so I usually wind up on the hi hat side to simplify things for the sound man.
Either. I play with way too many different drummers to sweat it. Whichever side is cool with me.
Dumbest setup I've ever been in was with in a large-ish new agency band. They had guitar, drums and percussion across the back, in the middle row they had horns and keys and had me set my amp up stage left on the front row with the vocalists (I did no vocals). I told theleader that it didn'tmake sense forme to be up front but that's where he wanted me. The drummer was pretty bad and it would've been nice to be near him to try to help him work things out... or at least kick him. Instead I had my back to him the entire gig and he was all over the place. Plus the leader had no idea how to lead a band so it was just a genuine cluster gig. Just plain ugly.
After the gig the leader said he'd never hire the drummer again and next time he'd have me set up by whoever was on drums. Live and learn.
the drummer
Dumbest setup I've ever been in was with in a large-ish new agency band. They had guitar, drums and percussion across the back, in the middle row they had horns and keys and had me set my amp up stage left on the front row with the vocalists (I did no vocals). I told theleader that it didn'tmake sense forme to be up front but that's where he wanted me. The drummer was pretty bad and it would've been nice to be near him to try to help him work things out... or at least kick him. Instead I had my back to him the entire gig and he was all over the place. Plus the leader had no idea how to lead a band so it was just a genuine cluster gig. Just plain ugly.
After the gig the leader said he'd never hire the drummer again and next time he'd have me set up by whoever was on drums. Live and learn.
the drummer
Roy Vogt
Supporting Member
- Sep 20, 2000
- 4,433
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- Endorsing Artist: Kiesel Basses, Ampeg Amplification, Hotone Ampero II effects
I don't think there is or should be any rule. I just happen to practice to the drummer's left so I generally stay there.
Also, it occurs to me that if you have a small stage, and the bass is the instrument with the longest neck, being stage left reduces the chance of anyone getting clocked with a headstock in a moment of exuberance.
Also, it occurs to me that if you have a small stage, and the bass is the instrument with the longest neck, being stage left reduces the chance of anyone getting clocked with a headstock in a moment of exuberance.
I've almost always played Hi-Hat Side, but it depends on the venue. I'm OK either way... but it seems that I make better eye contact with the drummer form the hi-hat side.
- Jan 11, 2008
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- Endorsing Artist: Aguilar, D'Addario
i prefer ride side... i think it's a jazz thing, though.... and rock bands that were jazz influenced... it's the exception to the rule in jazz groups when the bass is NOT in between the piano and the drums.
all my favorite rock bands play that way, too... zeppelin, radiohead, death cab...
john
all my favorite rock bands play that way, too... zeppelin, radiohead, death cab...
john
i do so little drummer watching that i literally don't care where i am on any stage with any band. i can hear him fine.
Who cares? I can hear the whole set from anywhere in the room, obviously. I usually stand on stage right, because I'm a lefty and I think visually it's better to have the headstocks facing away from each other rather than at each other, and we won't hit anything that way.
If the drummer's a lady, behind.
If not, it really doesn't matter where you set up, space allowing, as long as you can hear them. Unless you both need eye contact, you're perfectly fine with setting up out front as Jimmy said.
Unless the drummer is really really loud, then you should probably be a bit farther away. No sense in going deaf.
If not, it really doesn't matter where you set up, space allowing, as long as you can hear them. Unless you both need eye contact, you're perfectly fine with setting up out front as Jimmy said.
Unless the drummer is really really loud, then you should probably be a bit farther away. No sense in going deaf.
Me, too. I move around the stage (and sometimes off the stage) so right or left makes no difference at all.
On small stages I like stage left. It keeps my headstock out of the cymbals. Larger stages it don't matter cause I have room to roam around.
A few examples just off the top of my head of bands with the bass set up on stage right:
Cream
The Who
The Stones
The Beatles
Led Zepplein
The Band
ZZ Top
The Meters
We could probably generate another list of the stage left set up.
Cream
The Who
The Stones
The Beatles
Led Zepplein
The Band
ZZ Top
The Meters
We could probably generate another list of the stage left set up.
I think you mean "stage right." When you say "stage" it means from the perspective of the people onstage, looking out at the audience. Looking AT the stage from the audience is "house right" and "house left." Unless your drummer has a very weird setup.
