The Jazz Guitar Chord Dictionary
  1. #1

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    That lead guitar in a one-guitar rock band is usually on the right side of the stage, and in a 2-guitar band on the left? (From the audience perspective—or right channel/left channel.)

    Led Zepp had Jimmy to the right of Robert Plant. Same with Lindsey Buckingham in Fleetwood Mac. The Band. The Doors. Kiss. Pink Floyd.

    Then the 2-guitar bands…Rolling Stones—Keef on left, Mick or Ron on the right. Tom Petty—Mike Campbell on the right. Wilco—Nels Cline on the left. Grateful Dead—Jerry on the left. Tedeschi-Trucks—Derek on the left. The Beatles—varied a bit, since they were not primarily a stage group, but in the early 60’s George was to the right of John.

    The Allmans are interesting—Duane (or his successor) on the left, Dickie (or his successor) on the right. I think Duane was on the left with Derek and the Dominos as well.

    Keys are often in various places, usually left, but with a 2-guitar setup they’re almost always on the left. Bass is usually opposite the lead guitarist, wherever he is.

    I’m sure there are a lot of exceptions. When listening, though, with a 2-guitar band I always expect the solo to come out of the left speaker.

    Anyone have an idea why this is so?


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  3. #2

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    I'm the main lead in a blues group andI I always put the rhythm guitarist next to the bassist who is next to the drummers hi hats. I'm always stage right so I can signal the band and check to make sure my fretting hand is still attached to my wrist at the same time. If I were a lefty I might reverse the two guitarists position, I dunno.

  4. #3

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    Stage right and left are audience perspectives opposite to the left and right of those on stage facing the audience. A lot of bass players like placement beside the hi-hat stage right so as to synchronize their pace with the kit. The common rock layout is to put the drums in the middle, so a single guitarist may go stage left because there is room, and as DawgBone mentions, since a right handed guitarist sights his hand on the finger board out to his left, that allows him to see everything, his guitar and rest of the band at the same time which might be necessary for signaling the band.

    Maybe when there is a second rhythm guitar, it is that one who takes the signaling duties from stage left and relieves the lead guitar to focus on soloing. A problem with stage left is that you end up spending almost all your time with you head held turned to your left. Put your hand where your guitar strap passes over your shoulder and hold your head turned to your left... imagine a few hours of that.

    Stage right means you turn left (to see the finger board) and right (to see the band)... this is actually better for your neck, makes for a more lively involved show, and may reduce chances of bonking someone with the head of your guitar.

  5. #4

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    I think that’s a good point. A single guitarist or rhythm guitarist in a rock band is kind of the concertmaster. Being to the left (from the musician’s viewpoint) of the drummer you’re not going to bonk anyone with the head of your guitar.

    In our little jazz group I usually sit to the right of the keyboardist on the stage. Most of our venues have had tiny stages, so the tiny drum kit is usually right behind me. I have to be careful not to hit the hi hat with my head when I stand up sometimes. I usually turn about 30 degrees toward the piano so I can see what he’s doing, though I don’t read off his music.

    The standup bass player usually plays behind and to the left of our keyboardist so he can see the music over Eric’s shoulder. On the rare occasions Jon bass player is to the right, I’m on the opposite side. Our singer is out in front of the piano.

    But I realize this is about as far from a rock setup as you can get.

    This is a setup we had for an annual Christmas gig at a winery. Sadly, the winery was sold, so no gig this year. The drummer is set up way to the left and behind the piano, bass behind piano player’s left shoulder.

    In our little group I feel comfortable to the right of the piano. For some reason being on the left makes me somewhat anxious. Not sure why.

    OK, why is it…-34325773-6fb0-4e2d-849e-38923b658283-jpeg

  6. #5

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    Quote Originally Posted by pauln
    Stage right and left are audience perspectives opposite to the left and right of those on stage facing the audience. A lot of bass players like placement beside the hi-hat stage right so as to synchronize their pace with the kit. The common rock layout is to put the drums in the middle, so a single guitarist may go stage left because there is room, and as DawgBone mentions, since a right handed guitarist sights his hand on the finger board out to his left, that allows him to see everything, his guitar and rest of the band at the same time which might be necessary for signaling the band.

    Maybe when there is a second rhythm guitar, it is that one who takes the signaling duties from stage left and relieves the lead guitar to focus on soloing. A problem with stage left is that you end up spending almost all your time with you head held turned to your left. Put your hand where your guitar strap passes over your shoulder and hold your head turned to your left... imagine a few hours of that.

    Stage right means you turn left (to see the finger board) and right (to see the band)... this is actually better for your neck, makes for a more lively involved show, and may reduce chances of bonking someone with the head of your guitar.
    Maybe I misread your post or am misinformed and if so my apologies but I thought stage right and left were the performers perspectives? I go stage right and so the audience sees me on their left, bassist and rhythm guitar would be stage left, on the audience's right?

    stage right





    [COLOR=#70757A !important]phrase of stage



    • on the right side of a stage from the point of view of a performer facing the audience.
      "he saluted the crowd and exited stage right"







    [/COLOR]

  7. #6

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    Here are a couple of things I've heard or thought about setup. Apologies for skewing the thread.

    1. Some bassists want to be right next to the hihat, so they can hear it well and lock in visually if needed. That means the drummer can't be on the extreme right (from the audience's point of view), or there won't be room for the bassist next to the hihat.

    In other situations the bassist wants to be where he can see the kb's left hand.

    Or both.

    2. Kb guys often want their right hand closest to the audience. I suspect that's left over from the way grand pianos open. The hinges are on the bass side, so if you want the sound reflected towards the audience, you have the treble side closest to the front of the stage. Even some electronic kb guys still mention it.

    That puts the kb either facing the audience (anywhere on the stage) or on the left, with the kb player facing right (so that he has to turn his head 90 degrees to the right to look at the audience). that would imply the guitarist might be center or right.

    Complicated to get the bassist next to the hihat and looking at the kb left hand.

    It occurs to me that the Grateful Dead did it the opposite way.

    3. When I set up I'm thinking mostly three things: a) hear the bass b) hear the kb, if any and c) keep my already-damaged ears as far away from the cymbals as possible. It's a rare stage plot when I can't hear enough of the drums. Maybe never. There's one more thing, which is that I like to have line of sight for communication, but sometimes it's just not possible and some people I play with don't value it.

    4. All of this may collapse when you show up for a gig. Not for bands playing big, professional stages, but for the low-rent stuff I usually do.
    In my regular gig, the space is so small that we could figure out only one way to squeeze into it. Oddly enough, the bassist is in the back next to the high hat and the kb facing the audience allows him to see the kb left hand, which he actually doesn't need to see. I'm on the bass side of the kb with both guitar and keys facing the audience. It's tight, but we can hear each other and the drummer is gentle with the cymbals. For me to be on the other side of the kb, the neck of the guitar would be perilously close to the kb'ist's head.

    5. I play in two big bands. In one, there's no kb. So, I set up next to the bass. People on the orbiting space station can probably hear the horns and drums, despite the absence of atmosphere. I just need to make sure I can hear the bass. That also puts me next to the baritone sax, which has been interesting, but not that pleasant.

    In the other big band we seem to be unable to settle on a stage plot. I prefer to be right between the bass and keys -- same reason -- there's no way I'm not going to be able to hear 15 horns or a big band drummer playing Buddy Rich parts.

  8. #7

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    The Dead's stage layout changed over the years, depending in part on how many drummers (1 or 2), whether Donna Jean was with them, how many keyboardists there were, etc. Jerry and Phil switched sides IIRC in the 80s so that they could hear better, and early on Phil was at times in the center flanked by Jerry and Bob.

    Phish's stage layout is kind of odd, too.

  9. #8

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    Quote Originally Posted by DawgBone
    Maybe I misread your post or am misinformed and if so my apologies but I thought stage right and left were the performers perspectives? I go stage right and so the audience sees me on their left, bassist and rhythm guitar would be stage left, on the audience's right?
    I misread the definition, you are correct. Thanks

  10. #9

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    Yep