The Steel Guitar Forum

Fred Shannon posted something about the real bad experience with open mike sessions, just let me ask the additional question:

Where are the Steel Players usually located on stage? Often you'll see the Steel Man (or don't see him) somewhere in the fading light in the back, on the side (almost in the wings). What is your favorite spot, do like where you are or would you rather move to a better spot?

I am usually up front, on the right side, because I also do lead vocals w/rhythm guitar, so I have to stand up and sing. I use a little extra light mounted to the mike stand because I find the changing lights on stage sometimes irritating a green spot on those silver strings and a dark fretboard makes your steel look kinda scary!).

My amp is right next to me (right hand side), I use it as a monitor and for the stage sound, it is miked to go to the PA system. Anyhow, I consider myself pretty lucky, because there is not much happening in "my kingdom" without my approval although I have to admit: The smaller the stage is, the smaller my kingdom gets and I have to fight for border control!!!

Fred, I probably would kill the guy who puts a beer on my amp!

Would be interesting to know how you fellows rule "your kingdom"!

Walter

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You mean there are bands that let the steel player actually play ON the stage??

My preference in the left side facing the audience. All the bands that I have played in always had me up front with the rest of the band, even though I don't sing.

I don't much care where I sit, just as long as it's next to the guitar player (for eye-contact and coordination), and as far from the drums as I can get (so I can hear the monitors)!

Come to think of it, I was really PO'd once about where I was sitting, but actually it was the camera operators fault. The theater where I worked hired a service to videotape a final performance after a two year run, and when I got my copy of the tape the only thing of me visible was my left hand and the tuning keys on my guitar. My grandkids are really going to be impressed with that after I'm gone!
www.genejones.com <FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Gene Jones on 13 December 2003 at 08:42 AM.]</p></FONT>

I am on the right of the lead vocal when I'm on steel. When I'm splitting bass duties, I'm on the direct left of the singer. I can usually get all the stage realestate at this point, as MY GUITAR IS BIGGER!!!

For years, I was always on the right side of the bandstand facing the audience. As I looked at my fretting I could clearly see the lead guitarist in close proximity to my position so it was very easy to throw together a good strong two or three part intro or whatever. Likewise it was much easier for us to perform our instrumentals.
My amp was always on a chair to my left rear making it easy to determine if the sound was right.
During recent years, I find that I'm to be on the far left corner of the stage with about twenty feet distance between the lead man and myself making it difficult to do what normally would come naturally. I find this arrangement awkward.......just a personal thing.

As far away from the loud bass players as possible.....haha I prefer the left side on a angle for eye contact with the players..

I ride herd on the right hand stage, lead player to my left, drummer, fiddle, bass. Don't know why that's that way, but it works for us.

Now if i could just get the fiddle player to learn where "under the arm fiddle location" is, we would be set.

Walt I think I could have condoned a little beer in the amp rather than my big butt. I could have removed the beer a heck of a lot easier.

Still sore!!

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The spirit be with you!
If it aint got a steel, it aint real

Fred, a guitar player that I once worked with would have made your day!

He told one of those fiddle players (who played all the time) that, "Hey buddy, anytime that you stick that fiddle under you chin, you've got it, lead or backup!

It worked....he didn't like being stuck out there in front with no else playing!
www.genejones.com

my domain is far left or stage right..

I would play in the parking lot to get away from those stinkin' monitors !

T

Stage right, so that the drummer can continue to trash the hearing in my left ear with that #&%*@! cymbal.

Ditto, Bobby!

As I've said before..

I like to be where I can get a good clean shot at all of them..

Closest to and slightly behind the one that I consider the "best shot".



EJL

" But that didn't scare Little Bill, did it..." -William Munny- <FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Eric West on 13 December 2003 at 08:09 PM.]</p></FONT>

I agree with Bob about the drummer and the cymbal in my ear.I think I have ringing because of it...RS

Stay away from the monitors, sometimes they are louder than the PA!!!

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Golly,I never suspected how wrong I have been all these years.......if I could just start over (which I can't) maybe I would get my priorities better aligned with the other members of the band!

www.genejones.com

Alignment with?

I always figure that it's the Me show to varying degrees unless I get busted by the "Hack Police"...

I usually get off easy...



EJL<FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Eric West on 13 December 2003 at 12:42 PM.]</p></FONT>

Anywhere the TAX MAN can`t see me !!!!!

What cymbols ? I don't hear no cymbols ...

t

oh yeh..I may have stated it wrong, I play on the HI HAT side..I call that Stage left..no ? if I'm wrong and it's
opposite than oh well..just one more thing I never learn't .

t

Stage left, angled to the right so I can see the lead player real well. We're a 5 piece outfit and the bass player, mercifully hides behind the lead guy on the right. I share my spot with my Vibrosonic and Dobro.
Eric my friend, it IS all about you! From what I've seen, those other guys up there are your "back up band". Now if you could just get them to turn it down a little more... You rock buddy!

I use them to cover up my mistakes... Some nights they work harder than others...

Thanks again for coming up here that night.

They all gave their notice that night, just like every other night.... no end in sight. Some of their stuff is pretty interesting. Just did a version of "With or Without you" that was pretty slick.

I'm wondering if there are any clubs in Seneca..



EJL

Jazz gig, stage right, next to the acoustic piano. Amp back center next to the drummer.

Country gig; central left, amp dead center, but I wanted full left next to the monitor.
Or full right next to the mixer and monitor.

Blues Jam, stage right behind the keyboard players. Amp on a barrel on my right. And quite comfortable there.
Good security, the keys were a great harmonic cue and I could see the left hands perfectly for those 1st few seconds of a new tune, where no one bothered to anounce the key.<FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by David L. Donald on 14 December 2003 at 03:01 AM.]</p></FONT>

Stage right, I can have eye contact with one of the best keyboard/lead guitar players in the country a.k.a Kevin Nickel. And I'm up front, right beside the Bass player. I use a Jeff Newman trick, when I hit a bad note I give the Bass player a dirty look, hoping the audience will think it was him, most of the time it works.
John.

John,

I like that trick with the dirty look to the Bass Player, I have to try that myself!!

Walter

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In the cutthroat New York club scene, you set up wherever you can fit. This seems to be the case with everywhere from Hanks's Saloon to Bowery Ballroom and Irving Plaza. Maybe one day when I get to play at Zankel Hall...I'll have a "kingdom". A man can dream, can't he? I've had to set up out in front of the stage a number of times, friends. I've played "stages" so small you couldn't walk on them with a thought on your mind. I've played clubs where the "audience" walked through the "stage" area to get to the restroom ("Great Lakes" for anyone who cares.) The concept of a kingdom had me in stitches. Usually more like a serf in a thatch hut.

Gerald
Williams D-10

Gerald,

Don't worry, the term "kingdom" was meant more ironically, sometimes I don't have more than a few inches of elbow room!!

Walter

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