Stage positions

[Dave Vader]

Another one with a dead right ear here, used to go wherever the monitor could be on my left so I could hear it.
Now stay on the left, betwixt drums and keys.

[Ian Savage]

Stage left too as a general rule, but that's really only a starting point

Mind you, when I was in a band with two guitarists, only one of whom sang backing vocals with me, I did switch sides for the sake of symmetry - it looked sort of weird having two mic stands on the same side and none on the other, and we didn't want to have both guitars on one side (makes it harder for the drummer to hear/distinguish them, and certainly if your guitar cabs aren't mic-ed makes things less than optimal for the audience too).

[BottomE]

This is a hot topic for me. We have a singer with 2 saxes a flute and a keyboard and a guitartist with a pedal board the size of a small planet. Square footage on a small stage is prime real estate in my band.

As a punter looking at the stage i would be on the left normally - singer in the middle and guitarist on the right. We also run a first come first served policy if there are enough plug sockets meaning whoever gets to the venue first can setup where they like and the others fit around them.

I do find that cos i don't have pedals or any other kind of prop i am expected to fit into a smaller space than the others. I am often found behind one of the PA speakers.

[dmccombe7]

[quote name='BottomE' post='1182064' date='Mar 30 2011, 12:25 PM']I am often found behind one of the PA speakers.[/quote]

To be politically correct and not wanting to offend you - is that not the "socially unnice to look at" corner ---


That's where you'll find me then

Cheers
Dave

[spinynorman]

When we had a keyboard, I used to keep as far away from that as possible.

[BottomE]

[quote name='dmccombe7' post='1182073' date='Mar 30 2011, 12:32 PM']To be politically correct and not wanting to offend you - is that not the "socially unnice to look at" corner ---


That's where you'll find me then

Cheers
Dave[/quote]
You are probably right. I am a social misfit

[Quoth'd]

used to be on left of drummer at practice due to space then always on right during gigs. Made it really confusing when playing as I kept expecting to be able to hear him in one ear but was actually hearing him from the other. Always found that surreal.

Given a choice I prefer to be on the left of drummer so can turn & watch without getting in way of cymbals etc + I have habit of looking away from band so when I stand on the left I'm naturally looking towards the rest of them.

[Marvin]

[quote name='icastle' post='1181286' date='Mar 29 2011, 08:04 PM']Beware of the trapdoor... [/quote]

Under the stage, even better

[icastle]

[quote name='Marvin' post='1182522' date='Mar 30 2011, 05:59 PM']Under the stage, even better [/quote]

Brings a whole new meaning to the term 'sub bass'

[jonjump]

I generally use our lead singer's mic to sing (OK, bellow) backing vocals. It saves a mic and it looks like we are having fun - usually , we are.

So I go stage left to avoid ramming a jazz headstock in his teeth.

[gelfin]

Sometimes I'm just grateful to be on the stage!!!

[Spike Vincent]

Stage right.I play left handed,so the visual symetry in a 3 piece band looks good,plus avoids any headstock related trauma.Not an issue with regards to snare drum placing,I can hear that through the monitors.

[tauzero]

Pop/rock covers band - on the side that the guitarist doesn't want to be. He suffers from a strange dichotomy between wanting to be visible and being incapable of any sort of movement on stage, but he does seem to be starting to smile occasionally.

Blues band - stage left, as guitarist is a left-hooker so that way we both have headstocks pointing away from the vocalist. Who happens to be Mrs Zero, hence wanting to take precautions against smacking her in the face with a headstock.

Ceilidh band - stage left, because that's where I've gravitated to.