Should the bass player be on the left...looking at the band?

[Spike Vincent]

[quote name='bertbass' timestamp='1391632141' post='2359582']
Looking at the band, I'm always on the left but that's because I'm left handed.
[/quote]


Same here. visual symmetry and avoid clashing headstocks.

[Spike Vincent]

[quote name='roonjuice' timestamp='1391634124' post='2359639']
which side are the girls dancing?
[/quote]

Girls? Dancing? Explain.

[Japhet]

I prefer to be on the drummers left mainly because it keeps the headstock away from cymbals and stuff when space is tight. It's also easier to turn towards the drummer.

[Freddy Le Cragg]

I am the singer and the bassist, so I go bang in the middle.

[dalehernando]

In my band where I'm lead singer and bassist (3 piece) I stand stage right, I can't stand having to stand stage left, it completely throws me off.

However, in my other band (5 piece) I like standing stage centre left.

Drummer
Guitar - vocals Me- Guitar

I think this is because I am quite animated on stage as is the singer so we've had the mic cable wrapped round my headstock and his hand in my face when I'm on stage right!

[Adrenochrome]

Always stage left for me a right-handed bassist. Best ergonomically on small stages and easier eye contact. Our lead guitarist is a left so he goes stage right - both our headstocks are away from the drums.

[chaypup]

[quote name='LukeFRC' timestamp='1391631668' post='2359574']
I prefer to be on the snare side of the kit. You can see the snare and both feet that way. For right handed drummers that is the left hand side of stage (l[s]ooking at band).[/s] from the band's perspective)

[/quote]
Fixed.

I prefer to be stage left with right-handed drummers although a coulple have told me they like bass to be the other side on improv gigs so the can see my fretboard and what I'm playing more easily ( It made sense at the time, less so now that I come to write it down!)

Edited February 6, 2014 by chaypup

[BigRedX]

It doesn't matter where you stand. However you should always be facing forward looking at the audience. They are the reason why you are on stage in the first place.

[joeystrange]

[quote name='TRBboy' timestamp='1391634823' post='2359658']
Seriously, the only consideration for us is that we have two guitarists, so we make sure one goes each side of the kit. I couldn't give a monkeys which side I'm on really. We do always seem to set up the same way at the same venues though.
[/quote]

Exactly this.
I think it was once 'traditional' for the bass to be to the drummer's left although I don't see why it should make the slightest bit of difference to how anyone plays.

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1391683422' post='2360037']
It doesn't matter where you stand. However you should always be facing forward looking at the audience. They are the reason why you are on stage in the first place.
[/quote]

Also this.

Edited February 6, 2014 by joeystrange

[Mark Dyer]

If you're (the only) left hander in the band, like me, then it's invariably stage right, just to reduce the risk of headstocks smashing together. This usually happens when myself and both guitarists are jostling for position at centre stage to get a good look at the dancing girls...

I've no idea why you would want to look at the drummer or his kit during a gig? I have a monitor and a pair of ears?

[Norris]

The side that the guitarist doesn't stand on

As he's the main singer too, he usually goes wherever the audience can get the best view of him. If that's not an issue, I usually go stage right.

[Tomjbass]

For me, I prefer stage left too, but that's mainly 'cause in my old band first few gigs I was stage right, but the singer/rhythm guitar was very clumsy so when it got to an instrumental bit and he got excited he'd move away from the mic and there'd be some sort collision...

It carried on after I swapped sides with lead guitar, but I'd rather take a headstock to my arm than to my bass. Bruises go away, notches, scuffs and scrapes don't.

[Ziphoblat]

We have a simple set-up of one guitarist, one drummer, one bassist, and one vocalist. I always try and stand with the singer on my right, that way my headstock/neck is pointing away from him, reducing the likelihood of any collisions (given that my headstock extends at least 10" further than the guitarists does, giggity).

[bassace]

With my double bass stage right (audience left) so I'm looking into the band rather than the wings. It's not only about the drummer, there are others in the band.

[Dave Vader]

[quote name='bassace' timestamp='1391696775' post='2360306']
With my double bass stage right (audience left) so I'm looking into the band rather than the wings. It's not only about the drummer, there are others in the band.
[/quote]

This, though I keep being shuffled over to the left by engineers who have the bass DI over that side, and can't be arsed to move it. Which leaves me looking at walls a lot of the time, or ripping out my neck muscles trying to look over my shoulder at the rest of the band.
Also, the violin player keeps whacking the trumpet player in the ear with his bow. Though this is irrelevant, this is another reason why we swapped him to left and me to right.

[achknalligewelt]

I stand on the right of the drummer, always have, when I had a guitar or a bass in my hand. It'd feel wrong to stand on the left.

[skej21]

[quote name='LukeFRC' timestamp='1391631668' post='2359574']
I prefer to be on the snare side of the kit. You can see the snare and both feet that way. For right handed drummers that is the left hand side of stage (looking at band).
Visually my bass will move the eye inward and down too.... towards the centre of the stage
[/quote]

+1!

I like having my bass cab playing in my left ear and the hi-hat/snare/bass drum in my right... If I was on the other side, id just get cymbals and floor tom!

Plus, the drum kit creates just a nice amount of white noise to mask the guitar/keyboard enough to ignore them when I'm wanting to lock in with the drummer but to tune back in if cues are needed etc :-)

[Fuzzbass2000]

My gear's on the hi-hat side... me... well, I'm anywhere I fancy due to the wonders of wireless...

[Lw.]

At college we were always taught to have the bass amp (and so the bassist) to the drummers left, so stage-left (or if you're looking at the stage from the audience; the right). This is due to drummers usually playing facing their highhats, so it's easier to get the rhythm section in time as you're closest to each other.

Obviously this would change if the band is set up differently or as is most often the case, the stage is so small you can't fit there.

[EssentialTension]

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1391683422' post='2360037']
It doesn't matter where you stand. However you should always be facing forward looking at the audience. They are the reason why you are on stage in the first place.
[/quote]
Yes, this.

However, also, in my case, being right handed and assuming a right handed drummer, stage left if I am playing bass guitar, but stage right if I am playing upright bass.

[fretmeister]

Hi hat side for me, but I don't really care.

Usually I'm singing so I don't get to look at the drummer much anyway.

[arthurhenry]

Left or right doesn't matter, but the bass player must always stand at the back and never venture more than a foot away from his/her amp.

[Lord Sausage]

Slow week?!?!

[BigRedX]

[quote name='arthurhenry' timestamp='1391724176' post='2360725']
Left or right doesn't matter, but the bass player must always stand at the back and never venture more than a foot away from his/her amp.
[/quote]

Bollocks!!!

[IMG]http://i114.photobucket.com/albums/n249/BigRedX/Dick%20Venom%20Live/999655_574346492617176_813480834_n_zpscfbd541e.jpg[/IMG]

[EssentialTension]

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1391725504' post='2360753']
Bollocks!!!


[/quote]

Great pic.