Left or Right or Not Bothered?

[Linus27]

Stage left for me as its easier to make eye contact with the drummer, not that it makes any difference with my drummer as he has no understanding of playing together, either with bass or in a band and being a team player. I've actually learnt an amazing skill of tapping my foot to create my own time beat regardless of what the drums are doing. Anyway, stage left as I am more comfortable that side.

[Stylon Pilson]

I'm another that goes on the hi-hat side. On rare occasions I've been forced to the other side, owing to sharing a bass amp with other bands, and have coped perfectly well.

S.P.

[musicbassman]

The most important thing is that the drummer can hear the bass loud and clear - then he's got something to keep time to   🔊...🔊...🔊...🔊... ☺️

[chris_b]

My preference is to be next to the hi-hat and as far away from the guitarist as I can be, but I'll set up anywhere if I have to.

[Bassassin]

Prefer lefty for the same reasons as most everyone else, but not too bothered in practice.

Although all a bit academic for the last few years, our drummer emigrated to the Carribbean to get away from us...

[dmccombe7]

3 hours ago, Gottastopbuyinggear said:

 

setting up a high pass filter on his PA channel to take a lot of the low frequencies out.  I think (2) was more effective!

Liking that idea. Much sneakiness there i reckon but done very tastefully.

Dave

[peteb]

I am intrigued why so many here prefer to be next to the hats rather than the kick, especially as for most of the bigger / better rock bands I know bass stage right is pretty much de rigueur?? A quick look on google shows that most of the big rock acts from the last 40 years set up on stage in a similar fashion, from Sabbath to Deep Purple to Van Halen to Metallica to (latter day) Whitesnake (although the Neil Murray classic era was an exception)!

I did note that when I started playing more blues gigs, I sometimes found myself on the wrong side of the stage. Perhaps it’s a hard rock thing??

[dmccombe7]

21 minutes ago, peteb said:

I am intrigued why so many here prefer to be next to the hats rather than the kick, especially as for most of the bigger / better rock bands I know bass stage right is pretty much de rigueur?? A quick look on google shows that most of the big rock acts from the last 40 years set up on stage in a similar fashion, from Sabbath to Deep Purple to Van Halen to Metallica to (latter day) Whitesnake (although the Neil Murray classic era was an exception)!

I did note that when I started playing more blues gigs, I sometimes found myself on the wrong side of the stage. Perhaps it’s a hard rock thing??

Altho i have no preference to be honest i do have it engrained in my head that bass should be on the right. Its what i always imagine in my empty head. Thats with watching too many heavy rock bands from 70's and 80's.

Even the Glam Rock bands that i cover the bass was generally on the right when playing live. Bowie, T.Rex, Slade, Mud even Glitter Band. Sweet being a definite exception there as Steve Priest was almost always on the left for live gigs. TOTP not really counting as it was just a mime show.

Dave

[FinnDave]

Most recent gig, my amp and cab were between the drummers (we have two) and I was stood well in front of them. It meant I was unable to adjust my amp, but once set, I used the bass vol & EQ (active bass). Worked OK for me, and the drummers could hear what I was doing (better than I could, unfortunately!).

At least I was visible in the pictures taken at that one, all that is usually seen of me is a shadowy arm behind the keyboard player!

[fleabag]

I dress stand to the left

[stewblack]

1 hour ago, peteb said:

I am intrigued why so many here prefer to be next to the hats rather than the kick, especially as for most of the bigger / better rock bands I know bass stage right is pretty much de rigueur?? A quick look on google shows that most of the big rock acts from the last 40 years set up on stage in a similar fashion, from Sabbath to Deep Purple to Van Halen to Metallica to (latter day) Whitesnake (although the Neil Murray classic era was an exception)!

I did note that when I started playing more blues gigs, I sometimes found myself on the wrong side of the stage. Perhaps it’s a hard rock thing??

For me it's Hi-Hat & snare side because that's the way the drummer faces. Generally. so we're able to see each other but playing cramped and away from the singer is my main reason for hating being stage right. I love to interact with the singers in my bands

[Heathy]

In recent years I have always ended up on stage left. Although I think stage right would be better as I would be able to see the neck of my bass and the drummer at the same time.

Edited May 7, 2019 by Heathy

[dmccombe7]

3 minutes ago, Heathy said:

 I would be able to see the neck of my bass and the drummer at the same time.

Good point. 

[peteb]

5 minutes ago, Heathy said:

In recent years I have always ended up on stage left. Although I think stage right would be better as I would be able to see the neck of my bass and the drummer at the same time.

 

Just now, dmccombe7 said:

Good point. 

Indeed it is! You can look at the drummer (and the rest of the band including the singer) without turning your back on the audience...

[Heathy]

The down side of playing stage right is that one drummer I played with used to really whack a china cymbal he had on that side of his kit. I'm still hearing it 25 years later!

[peteb]

1 minute ago, Heathy said:

The down side of playing stage right is that one drummer I played with used to really whack a china cymbal he had on that side of his kit. I'm still hearing it 25 years later!

Tell me about! I've lost a bit of the top end of my hearing in one ear and use ear protection in my left ear (nearest the drummer) for most gigs these days...

[dmccombe7]

20 minutes ago, peteb said:

Tell me about! I've lost a bit of the top end of my hearing in one ear and use ear protection in my left ear (nearest the drummer) for most gigs these days...

Same here my right ear as drummer had a crash type cymbal above his snare and decided to run round his kit and cymbals just as i bent down to plug my bass into my mfx unit. Cymbal went right next to my ear full belt too. Its the first time i've actually heard anything that was physically painful. That same ear is now far more sensitive to noise than my "good" ear. I have ACS protection now too but our band don't generally play too loud on stage and current drummer is more techique than power so all good really.

Dave

[mep]

I used to be stage left but in my current band the guitarist said he always has that side so I'm now stage right. I'm ok with either. I can keep an eye on the drummer either way and tbh I haven't thought about being on the bass drum side until now. 

[dmccombe7]

yep that would be quite good.

 

[SpondonBassed]

13 hours ago, PaulWarning said:

 

being a lefty I always stand on the right for this reason, but I've noticed on multi band bills the bass amp is nearly always on the left

You'd like it at The Holly Bush near Ripley.  At one of their OM nights last year the house bass combo was on the right.  I struggled a bit.  I'm assuming they have it there still of course.

Edited May 7, 2019 by SpondonBassed

[martin8708]

I tend to go where I'm told , the drummer and guitarist seem to need the whole stage to set up before the bass player is allowed on . I'm normally left with a tiny space , currently stage right , but I've never really thought too much about it .

[Lozz196]

In previous bands, where we had a stand up vocalist I always preferred stage left as it stopped the clumsy fools bumping into my headstock. In my current 3 piece band that’s not a concern so I’m stage right as the singer/guitarist really hates the sound of the drummers ride cymbal.

[Roger2611]

I have always tended to be stage right, I can't remember a reason why it started like that but on an empty stage I will always set up on that side. When Sack The Drummer played together in December 2017 (first time in twenty years) I ended up on stage left which although it felt a little strange on set up, was fine once we started playing and did offer better contact with the drummer.

[Low End Bee]

On the left. I have a habit of twatting cymbals and guitarists with the headstock if I'm on the right. Health and Safety.

[Monkey Steve]

stage left by default, even when playing guitar (though most of my guitar playing has been in a band with a drummer that I've played bass with since we were teenagers, so we're used to it).  And agree, it seems to be the default set up when the venue/studio is providing the amps.  Not sure if it's an actual preference, it's just where I always set up my amp.  But I'm not that fussed if I end up stage right.

Did a gig at the Underworld last year and there were only three monitors on stage for four of us, with me sharing the stage left one with the keyboard player.  And the keyboard mostly doing samples, very little actual playing, but very closely timed so he had to be able to hear himself.  Plus he was doing BVs and I wasn't for that one.  So I gracefully withdrew, let him have the monitor to himself and just used the backline to hear myself, and picked up the rest of the band from their monitor mixes.  Heard myself OK, not the best mix for hearing everybody else, but I could hear enough to be able to play everything correctly so it was fine.