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Which side of the drums do you set up and why?
- Thread starter tbirddad
- Start date
I always play on drummers right...no reason (With both righty & lefty drummers)
and...no particular reason.
I just always have.
Drummers left. It's easier for him to see me (if he's right handed) If I'm on the right side, he has to look across his body to see me. When jamming or rehearsal, I typically stand right in front of him. Helps keep timing tight when we can see each other easily.
I'm always stage left. Our drummer's normally slightly stage right, angled towards me. I tend to move a lot and so it gives me the whole stage left and the back of stage center to move around!
I like to stand to the drummer's left. I find it's a little easier to make eye contact.
We can look right across the high-hat at each other, rather than me looking over my bass neck and him looking over the ride.
Incidentally, stage left is the drummer's left side (unless he's facing away from the audience :-b ). Stage left and stage right are from the point of view of the performer.
We can look right across the high-hat at each other, rather than me looking over my bass neck and him looking over the ride.
Incidentally, stage left is the drummer's left side (unless he's facing away from the audience :-b ). Stage left and stage right are from the point of view of the performer.
I'm always on the drummers right. We have a set system for calling out the next tune at weddings and bars. Can't use set lists anymore. Gotta get good at on-the-fly. So we picked our spots, and came up with a system. We're a finely tuned machine, all the way down to placement.
AND, I hate my headstock being up against the wall (If the stage is boxed in). This way I have full range of motion
AND, I hate my headstock being up against the wall (If the stage is boxed in). This way I have full range of motion
+1
Although in a prior band, the lead guitar player used to be on my left. During one gig, I hit him in the head with my headstock three times. It didn't do any damage to his head
It depends. I've been in bands where I have been on the drummer's right other times on his left. In one band, I set up on either side depending on the venue. I have a slight preference to be on the drummer's right. Probably because that's where I was in my first band, but it really doesn't matter.
drummers right side stage left. it seems like quite a few venues in portland are set up where the stage is in the corner so if im stage left i wont be smacking my headstock into the wall.
To reiterate: stage left is to the drummer's left. If you are standing on stage and facing the audience, stage left is on your left.
Whatever side the hat & snare are on. For pop/rock, those tend to be the steadiest rhythms to gauge my timing against.
Also usually puts me directly behind a cute band member, so the view is nice.
Also usually puts me directly behind a cute band member, so the view is nice.
Stage right is my preference, and I've been there in practically every band I've been in for decades. In my current electric band, we set up for rehearsal with me to the drummer's left, and at the end of the evening, my right ear hurt from the snare hits that I usually don't hear coming from that direction. It wasn't my choice.
I like to be by the high hat side, the snare drum sets the backbeat which sets the groove.
Randy
Randy
My rig goes on the drummers right but since I'm one of the lead singers in the band I stand in front of the drummer with a guitarist, (who also both sing lead) on either side. I angle my rig so its aimed at me and that way the drummer hears it well.
