where do you place your amp on stage?

Norbert Dengler · Post by **Norbert Dengler** » 1 Sep 2014 11:07 am

guess most of us put it behind, on a stand or a case pretty close,
how about you?

Richard Sinkler · Post by **Richard Sinkler** » 1 Sep 2014 12:25 pm

Always behind me. I like to have maybe 10 feet, but most gigs I play, it is only maybe 3 feet or less. If it's a large place and mic'd, I usually have it to my left (or right depending on what side of the stage I am on), and have it off to my side pointing up at me.

Henry Senior · Post by **Henry Senior** » 1 Sep 2014 12:44 pm

I really struggle with this.

My amp always goes behind me, usually on the case so the speaker is head height.
I find it's usually too loud for my liking but in order to hear what I'm doing over the band it needs to be.

I sit too close to it, even though it's really loud, somehow it's less easy to hear what I'm playing.
I prefer to sit further, but as often as not the stage size does not permit.

Occasionally I get a monitor to myself, but on the occasions I have, if I put myself in the mix it's somehow confusing to listen to, so I stopped doing that. (Also, the rest of the band told me that it's highly egotistical to request onesself in one's monitor!)

Ray Montee · Post by **Ray Montee** » 1 Sep 2014 1:04 pm

I typically place mine on an available chair, about 3-6 feet behind me and on my LEFT SIDE.

I've placed it on my right side more than once and was never satisfied in the least as to what I was attempting to hear. I have 20/20 hearing so it's not a hearing loss thing but rather, a LEFT EAR PREFERRED
condition.

I've seen some who place the amp in front of them but I've NEVER been able to achieve satisfactory results or with it 10 to twelve behind me.[/i]

Richard Sinkler · Post by **Richard Sinkler** » 1 Sep 2014 1:06 pm

Occasionally I get a monitor to myself, but on the occasions I have, if I put myself in the mix it's somehow confusing to listen to, so I stopped doing that. (Also, the rest of the band told me that it's highly egotistical to request onesself in one's monitor!)

Henry...

I think the rest of the band is clueless in your situation. But with that being said, I never, and I mean NEVER, want myself in a monitor mix that I can hear. I don't like hearing my guitar from 2 different directions with different tonality. In fact, I don't want any monitor anywhere near me. If I have been playing with a band for a little while, I know the material enough that I don't even need to hear much of the rest of the band. I know where my parts go and just need some reference point, and that is set by slightly hearing the rest of the band in the background. That is the reason I hate in-ear monitor. Unless you leave one off an ear, all you hear is the doctored tone set by the sound moron, I mean, sound man.

Lane Gray · Post by **Lane Gray** » 1 Sep 2014 5:06 pm

If I'm mic'd, I put it to my side aimed up at me, at a comfortable volume, with a monitor giving me EVERYBODY ELSE. I want to hear if I'm stepping on someone else's fills, I want to hear the guitar player if I'm gonna harmonize his/her licks.
If I'm not mic'd, I put it high and behind me. And try to judge my mix to the room.

As a side note, it was funny to listen to Bob and Sonny Osborne asking for adjustments to the monitors (their mics were next to each other, so they heard the same wedge). Sonny kept asking for more of Bobby, and Bobby kept asking for less of Bobby.

George Redmon · Post by **George Redmon** » 1 Sep 2014 5:43 pm

Behind me, just slightly right a couple feet, room permitting. Man i gotta hear myself. The ole hearing tain't what it onest was.

James Jacoby · Post by **James Jacoby** » 1 Sep 2014 7:05 pm

Henry Senior wrote:I really struggle with this.

My amp always goes behind me, usually on the case so the speaker is head height.
I find it's usually too loud for my liking but in order to hear what I'm doing over the band it needs to be.

I sit too close to it, even though it's really loud, somehow it's less easy to hear what I'm playing.
I prefer to sit further, but as often as not the stage size does not permit.

Occasionally I get a monitor to myself, but on the occasions I have, if I put myself in the mix it's somehow confusing to listen to, so I stopped doing that. (Also, the rest of the band told me that it's highly egotistical to request onesself in one's monitor!)

Henry, I wish I had a dollar, for every band that does what you describe.( They're all showing off, and walking on each other and you, and not using the least bit of teamwork!) IMHO, THAT'S egotistical, not you, who just wants to be able to hear himself! They probably don't realize, how hard it is to play on pitch, on a steel, without being able to hear! I recently attended a steel jam, and the staff band was doing just that. I had to turn my steel up, too loud, just so I could hear it! Then they had the nerve to ask me to turn my steel DOWN! When we finally took a break, I packed up my stuff, and took a permanent break! (Sorry for the rant, but that is a pet peeve of mine! $:\$ )Ahem--oh yes, the topic! I almost always have to put my amp on a chair, close behind me, because of space limitations, but, like most of the others, I prefer to have it further behind me, and slightly to one side, or the other. Sometimes I think, it wouldn't be too bad to have a third ear on the back of my head! It would look funny, but probably would help solve the problem of hearing ones self!

As a side note, the sound of an amp, will be louder, twenty or thirty feet out in front of the speaker, than directly in front of it, so if one is stuck close to their amp, because of limited stage space, that could exacerbate the problem, because now you're not only playing louder to hear yourself over the band, but also blowing out the audience, as well! -Jake-

Richard Sinkler · Post by **Richard Sinkler** » 1 Sep 2014 7:46 pm

Lane Gray wrote:If I'm mic'd, I put it to my side aimed up at me, at a comfortable volume, with a monitor giving me EVERYBODY ELSE. I want to hear if I'm stepping on someone else's fills, I want to hear the guitar player if I'm gonna harmonize his/her licks.
If I'm not mic'd, I put it high and behind me. And try to judge my mix to the room.

As a side note, it was funny to listen to Bob and Sonny Osborne asking for adjustments to the monitors (their mics were next to each other, so they heard the same wedge). Sonny kept asking for more of Bobby, and Bobby kept asking for less of Bobby.

If it's a band I have been with for a while, I know exactly where my parts go, and I expect the same from other band members. The situation I was talking about, no matter where the monitors are, you can always hear one, or the mains enough to know what is happening. The last band I played with, and my current band, the guitar player is on the other side of the stage. I have no ned to hear him more than what I can hear from his amp, someone's monitor or the mains. If it is a band that I can't trust to have their parts down, I like to be next to the guitar player so we can communicate with each other.

David Nugent · Post by **David Nugent** » 2 Sep 2014 3:56 am

I may be odd man out, but after trying several locations, find that I prefer (in mic'ed situations only!) to place my amp directly in front of me on an amp stand much as you would a monitor speaker. This I find enables me to use less stage volume and leaves both ears equally available to hear what the remainder of the band is doing.

Scott Duckworth · Post by **Scott Duckworth** » 2 Sep 2014 4:40 am

Amp, beside me... speaker, to my left...

Patrick Strain · Post by **Patrick Strain** » 2 Sep 2014 6:49 am

Henry Senior wrote:I really struggle with this.

My amp always goes behind me, usually on the case so the speaker is head height.
I find it's usually too loud for my liking but in order to hear what I'm doing over the band it needs to be.

I sit too close to it, even though it's really loud, somehow it's less easy to hear what I'm playing.
I prefer to sit further, but as often as not the stage size does not permit.

Occasionally I get a monitor to myself, but on the occasions I have, if I put myself in the mix it's somehow confusing to listen to, so I stopped doing that. (Also, the rest of the band told me that it's highly egotistical to request onesself in one's monitor!)

I couldn't disagree more. If you are asking for yourself in the monitor that probably means you're maintaining a reasonable stage volume. It has nothing to do with ego.

CrowBear Schmitt · Post by **CrowBear Schmitt** » 2 Sep 2014 8:11 am

i lay it on it's back at a slight angle ( like a wedge )
that way i can have the volume turned up & the volume goes up to the ceiling

Roger Francis · Post by **Roger Francis** » 2 Sep 2014 11:47 am

Both amps behind me on on very short amp stands that i made so i could tilt back slightly, one slightly off to my right, both about 3-4 ft back.

John Peay · Post by **John Peay** » 2 Sep 2014 11:55 am

I'm usually miced, so anywhere from 6-10 feet behind me and to left, floor level and tilted up towards me a bit. Based on this thread I'm going to try it closer, maybe 4 feet instead, I think I'll be able to hear myself better.

Often I'm the only one not using in-ears, I just don't like those things playing steel. Maybe I need to stay with 'em until I can deal with 'em, much as I did when I first put on fingerpicks!

Cody Angel · Post by **Cody Angel** » 2 Sep 2014 12:09 pm

I put mine right next to me on the left. The group I'm with uses in ears but I like having the amp right there to really hear how it sounds and have access to the controls

Donny Hinson · Post by **Donny Hinson** » 2 Sep 2014 2:23 pm

When I was younger, I used to put the amp 3 feet behind me on a chair or stand, and point it towards the back of my head. However, that works only with a pro band (who doesn't mike the drums and all that bullcrap). Nowadays, I set my tone with the amp like that, but then I just put it flat on the floor to play, speaker shooting under me and the steel. Volume peaks don't bother me that way, and it carries better out front. (Note: I seldom mike my amp.)

Adam Nero · Post by **Adam Nero** » 4 Sep 2014 7:01 am

I use Cody's approach, too.

chris ivey · Post by **chris ivey** » 4 Sep 2014 7:40 am

just a few feet behind me, angled slightly toward me and tilted up slightly with a little rubber wedge i keep in the back of the amp.

Godfrey Arthur · Post by **Godfrey Arthur** » 4 Sep 2014 8:48 am

Henry Senior wrote:
(Also, the rest of the band told me that it's highly egotistical to request onesself in one's monitor!)

Your band mates have not played on a pro concert stage where a separate monitor designated mixer/soundman are to the side of the stage to give each player what they want in their monitors whether floor or IEM's ( in-ear ).

Even studios offer headphone mixers for each player to create their own headphone mixes.

Joe Naylor · Post by **Joe Naylor** » 4 Sep 2014 8:56 am

If you have spent much time around lots of steel players. The main thing they say is ---- WHAT DID YOU SAY, WHAT

Maybe there is the reason - I know of a few that you NEVER have to say ;;;; TURN IT UP

NEW IDEA ---- set on it

just could not resist

Joe Naylor
www.steelseat.com

Herb Steiner · Post by **Herb Steiner** » 4 Sep 2014 8:59 am

I want myself in my stage monitor. It keeps me at a stage volume that my soundman, whom I trust, to keep me balanced in the mains. In the GPN band I get my own steel/vocal monitor, with nothing else except lead vocals.

Ned McIntosh · Post by **Ned McIntosh** » 9 Sep 2014 1:20 am

My amp sits to my left, as in the photo below:-

That way I can reach all of the controls, make adjustments, plug in and unplug etc without leaving my seat. Works fine.

Dennis Detweiler · Post by **Dennis Detweiler** » 9 Sep 2014 3:51 am

Depends on the room ambience and volume of the band. Behind me, sometimes on an amp stand leaning back, sometimes flat on the floor. Preferably to the left of me, since my right ear has a slight high tone loss.
I have all rack gear and can make all adjustments while sitting at my guitar, so it's just the speaker cabinet behind me.

Joe Naylor · Post by **Joe Naylor** » 9 Sep 2014 5:43 am

After talking to lots and lots of steel players and going to several shows. Most have a definite placement behind them or some to one side or the other. Many set them that way to (1) hear themselves but I think (2) habit from playing gigs.

I have had emails regarding the Seat-Amp and that was intended as a practice amp set up. Many use headphones, remote speakers, and more.

Some guitar players like it for small restaurant venues and churches for example.

Joe Naylor
www.steelseat.com

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where do you place your amp on stage?

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