drumbloke Posted January 22, 2009 Share Posted January 22, 2009 (edited) Depping in a few bands at the moment, just realised that not all Bassists 'sit' on the same side of the drummer. I thought it was a set up area constraint but most bands I have played with recently the Bassist has been on the left hand side of me (ride cymbal). Me ol' mate Pete (Thunderthumbs) plays on me right (Hi hat side). Just wondering if there was a preference to which side you like to be on? Or did you just naturally fall on that side? Edited January 22, 2009 by drumbloke Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WarPig Posted January 22, 2009 Share Posted January 22, 2009 most of the gigs im (from your POV as a drummer) to the right. I dont mind what side i play on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Merton Posted January 22, 2009 Share Posted January 22, 2009 For some odd reason I am always on the ride cymbal side in my function band, but hi-hat side in my originals band. I think it's just the way the function band balances better visually but it doesn't make any difference to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
obbm Posted January 22, 2009 Share Posted January 22, 2009 [quote name='drumbloke' post='388275' date='Jan 22 2009, 10:17 AM']Depping in a few bands at the moment, just realised that not all Bassists 'sit' on the same side of the drummer. I thought it was a set up area constraint but most bands I have played with recently the Bassist has been on the left hand side of me (ride cymbal). Me ol' mate Pete (Thunderthumbs) plays on me right (Hi hat side). Just wondering if there was a preference to which side you like to be on? Or did you just naturally fall on that side?[/quote] Most drummers I play with have the Hi hat on their left. Are you a left-handed drummer or are you looking at this from the audience viewpoint? Anyway facing the audience I prefer to stand to the drummer left, next to the snare/hi hat so I can see the Kick pedal easily. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RussFM Posted January 22, 2009 Share Posted January 22, 2009 In my last three bands I've always been on the drummer's left. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JakeBrownBass Posted January 22, 2009 Share Posted January 22, 2009 always the drummers left, Your then next to the Hi-Hat, Snare & the kick, the three most important bit IMO. Wouldn't want to be next to the ride and the toms, seems pointless to me Jake Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonsmith Posted January 22, 2009 Share Posted January 22, 2009 I prefer to be on the hi-hat side, partly because I have half a chance of catching the drummer's attention that way, for those magical moments of interplay etc. This is where I normally stand, but with my Dire Straits tribute, I stand to the ride side of the drummer. Originally I think that was because they copied the DS stage setup, but we did try swapping things around. However we all found it weird and the onstage sound was odd for us all too (despite monitors). Fortunately that drummer is watching out for what I'm up to anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xgsjx Posted January 22, 2009 Share Posted January 22, 2009 Live situations I usually get to the left of the drummer, but not always, one gig we did I was in front of the drummer & I don't even sing! In rehearsals I usually end up to the right of the drummer (due to bleedin' guitarist) next to the ride cymbal, which he always plays & gives my hearing another downgrading! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Musky Posted January 22, 2009 Share Posted January 22, 2009 Thinking back I'm sure I've stood on the left of the drummer most of the time. Less chance of catch the drummers cymbals with a right handed bass on small stages I usually wind up playing on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alexclaber Posted January 22, 2009 Share Posted January 22, 2009 I play on the hihat side unless there's a good reason not to. Most drummers face over to that side so it's easier to keep eye contact with them. It also seems wiser to have the instrument with the longest neck and biggest headstock positioned so it's less likely to take the singer's eye out. My bass cabs with the midrange speaker are inevitably asymmetric and my decision to place the midrange speaker on the left of the baffle was made because more bassists seem to stand on stage left and that way the drummer will hear the bass cab a little more clearly. Alex Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yorick Posted January 22, 2009 Share Posted January 22, 2009 Depends on where the two guitards set up!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yorks5stringer Posted January 22, 2009 Share Posted January 22, 2009 I play above my kit...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Merton Posted January 22, 2009 Share Posted January 22, 2009 [quote name='yorick' post='388308' date='Jan 22 2009, 10:46 AM']Depends on where the two guitards set up!!! [/quote] But it's kinda nail -> head for my function band. Having a guitarist either side of the drummer, one who sings lead, plus a female lead singer, means we have to balance somehow. So it's guitarist and female singer on the left of the drummer, me and male singer/guitarist on the right. Not sure why we've never done it the other way around, but it's been a habit since day one and that's that. Doesn't worry me, though I do prefer being on the left for the reasons mentioned above, since our monitoring and general onstage banter is always good Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ray Posted January 22, 2009 Share Posted January 22, 2009 [quote name='alexclaber' post='388302' date='Jan 22 2009, 10:39 AM']I play on the hihat side unless there's a good reason not to. Most drummers face over to that side so it's easier to keep eye contact with them.[/quote] Same here. I play regularly with 2 drummers - one right-handed, the other a lefty and I always stand hi-hat side. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andyalfa Posted January 22, 2009 Share Posted January 22, 2009 I stand to the right of the drummer. Mainly because when I arrived at my audition two years ago, the guitar and keys were already set up kit left. It’s kind of been my default space ever since. Safer too, since the drummer has a habit of launching sticks off to his left for some reason. That said, at the last gig, I was bang in front (v.small stage) and the one before, on the right, because there was a thumping great Christmas tree in the way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iamthewalrus Posted January 22, 2009 Share Posted January 22, 2009 [quote name='obbm' post='388283' date='Jan 22 2009, 10:27 AM']Anyway facing the audience I prefer to stand to the drummer left, next to the snare/hi hat so I can see the Kick pedal easily.[/quote] +1 here - prefer to lock in with the drummer & find being on the snare side a godsend.... Cheers, iamthewalrus Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thedontcarebear Posted January 22, 2009 Share Posted January 22, 2009 I always tend to go to the left of the drummer, whether I am playing bass or guitar, dunno why though! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Fudge Posted January 22, 2009 Share Posted January 22, 2009 I enter and exit ... stage left. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EssentialTension Posted January 22, 2009 Share Posted January 22, 2009 Hi-hat side (drummer's left) almost without fail. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OldGit Posted January 22, 2009 Share Posted January 22, 2009 I'm right handed and so are the drummers I play with so .. I always play to the drummers' right and at the front of the stage (as I share front man duties ..) My reason is simple .. generally I need to keep my eyes on the drummer for lock-in and interplay, the other front man and guitarists for cues and my fretboard now and then for a starting notes, position or whatever. If I'm on the left of the drummer I have to look away from them all to check my fretboard or turn in and face the kit with my bass neck sticking towards the audience .. That doesn't look good and I'm on the mic a lot anyway so I just couldn't do it .. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maxcat Posted January 22, 2009 Share Posted January 22, 2009 Always to the front left as I sing backing vox at the front. I get the hi hat/snare and kick full on and when I want to get an eye lock/tell him to f***ing count I just drop back. Saying that at the jams we host coz of space and balance I have to set up on the right but Im not as comfortable there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OldGit Posted January 22, 2009 Share Posted January 22, 2009 [quote name='drumbloke' post='388275' date='Jan 22 2009, 10:17 AM']Depping in a few bands at the moment, just realised that not all Bassists 'sit' on the same side of the drummer. I thought it was a set up area constraint but most bands I have played with recently the Bassist has been on the left hand side of me (ride cymbal). Me ol' mate Pete (Thunderthumbs) plays on me right (Hi hat side). Just wondering if there was a preference to which side you like to be on? Or did you just naturally fall on that side?[/quote] "Drumbloke?" when you are drumming which side do you prefer the bass player to be? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shockwave Posted January 22, 2009 Share Posted January 22, 2009 I play infront of my drummers The rest of the band dont like that much however. So i will usually stick to stage left. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bass_ferret Posted January 22, 2009 Share Posted January 22, 2009 Always had the drums in my right ear - thats why it is f***ed! Drummer is a lefty as well Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Horse Murphy Posted January 22, 2009 Share Posted January 22, 2009 Always front right. Our Drummer is left handed, so I get quite a nice deal out of it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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