Where do YOU like to stand on stage and why?

[mr80htz]

Wherever there is space....usually opposite high hat...I prefer it as I have better communication with drummers...depends on their set up really.

 

[Relsom]

SR to the Right of the Drummer. My drummer is a lefty.

 

[Lesfunk]

It doesn’t matter to me as long as it’s as far away from the drummer. Ideally in a position where I can see everybody, but nowhere near that drum racket and cymbals. I have monitors for that

 

[2saddleslab]

The BL prefers stage left so that puts me stage right.

 

[QweziRider]

I have no preference. Wherever a given band wants me. That said, seems to end up being stage left more often than not.

 

[J Wilson]

I seemed to always play with right-handed drummers on LOUD stages, so I always preferred Stage Left as I could look in, see both hands and both feet, and I could always sync visually, regardless of how loud or quiet it got.

 

[thriveNSuffer]

Hi hat side of the drums because thats the easiest spot for the drummer to look. If playing guitar the floor tom side of the drums. Also this just makes sense sonically on stage.

 

[GrapeBass]

No one should have to look at the kick pedal to know what the drummer is playing. Your ears should tell you.

OP, please eliminate the erroneous first two choices.

I wish I could, but cannot

 

[JRA]

Interested in others opinions and reasons, there are no correct answers.

depends on lots of things, but my typical preference is stage left, left of the drummer. that said: i played for years in the center of an instrumental jazz trio (piano, bass, drums) --- and lots of trios using DB set up in that way.

but my current band is 7 pieces, so on some stages: sometimes the three horns are 'fronting' the rhythm section, and in those instances i want to be playing on the drummer's hi-hat side.

i voted "stage left, left of the drummer" in spite of the fact that my only regular gig is a joint where i'm on the drummer's right.

 

[bajaandy]

I've pretty much always been a stage right player. Never felt the need to be a hi-hat side, kick drum watching dude. This does cause me to be careful about where my headstock ends up! We're a 5 piece and we all sing with two female lead singers, so tight stages can get a bit cramped.

 

[HardNHeavy]

during rehearsals (8yrs) i was always to the right of drummer next to floor toms, but at gigs i was to the left of drummer, which my ears prefer because of the high-hat/snare...Our rehearsal space had so much hourly gear from 5 different bands we were too lazy to move everything around.

 

[ahc]

 

[bassfran]

Stage left — to the LEFT of the drummer. (As others have said, OP has this reversed.) On the hi-hat side away from the ride. Better to hear the downbeats.

And, if the drummer plays right-handed you can also avoid going deaf from the din of the crash and ride cymbals. There have been times in less-than-ideal conditions that just seeing the kick pedal saved my bacon- can't really do that from the 'wrong' side unless the floor tom's a Vistalite.

 

[Medicine Man]

Unless its a tiny stage idgaf. Crammed into a dive bar corner, i would rather do stage right so that my neck can hang over the cymbals instead of beating the cracked drywall.

 

[mrjim123]

If I stand I prefer to stand on me feets, but sometimes I sit on me arse.

 

[ezstep]

To the left of the drummer, but no reason why - just habit, I guess. Today, an afternoon gig, I plan to stand directly in front of the squirrel cage fan.

 

[GWGuitar]

I usually want to be where I can see the guitarist’s chording hand. I can hear the drummer everywhere.

 

[andruca]

Center left, just by the hi-hat.

 

[micguy]

The gigs I play are all on in ears. As a result, I actually like to not be right by the kit - my mix sounds much clearer without the actual wash from the kit. That said, being close enough for some visual communication is helpful - I have played gigs where I was 50 feet from the drummer - while the mix was superb, communicating visually was tough.

 

[marchone]

Stage left, like Entwistle.

The poll choices are confusing.