positioning keyboard player on stage?

I play keyboard and guitar in a rock band (seemed to be a bit of a dying trend, maybe coming back? i don't know). Something along the lines of symphonic metal, or something like that. I play keyboard more than guitar becuase there is another guitar player, also.

I have been discussing with the singer where we should place the keyboard player (me) on stage. I think it partially depends on the size of the stage and the sort of band you are but I also think that a band can potentially lose a lot of stage presence by having the keyboard player away from the front of the stage.

Some people seem to like placing the keyboard player at the back of the stage, usually to the right of the drummer. Sometimes there is a practical advantage of this, such as when using many, many keyboards (i.e Rick Wakeman). I however only use one.

I know of a few bands who place their keyboard player towards the front of the stage, I usually prefer this as it made the band look more powerful.

I have recently noticed a few bands with keyboard players using Roland AX-7 controllers, every so often. I don't think the other band members would forgive me for using one of them but it is a posibility, eventaully. Sort of makes sense for keyboard solos, which I play a few of.

I also notice that some guys have keyboard stands that slope towards the audience. My singer sounded keen I get one of these as he wished people to see my hands when I play. Anyone know where I can get one (in europe)?

What does everyone do here and why? Also state what sort of music you play and if the keyboard playing is particularly prominant or not.

I always set up to the right of the bass player. our lineup was keys, bass, guitar, drummer with horns either between the drummer and the guitar player or over by me. The lead singer was front and center. We set up in line just as close to the line of feedback as we could, This was along time ago prior to monitors . we ran backlines with only vocals going out through the PA. It was a little trickier since you had to hear the vocals and hear your bandmates on stage. All the mixing was right off the amp heads without the luxury of a board or soundmad. We had a tin 3 pot mixer for vocal mic volumes. we ran with three singers all lead capable so you did have to get the mic level mix right for harmony .... it was pure caveman oldschool. rat

Set up where you want. Screw the rest of the musicians and what they want. They are always trying to bully keyboard players.

Set up first and screw later? Or the other way around?

Since I'm mostly sitting-in or jamming, I look for a spot where I can see the rhythm guitar's left hand. If s/he has one.

The majority of time I set up to the left of the drummer in front of the stage. The bass player was usually a bit behind me, between me and the drummer. Guitarists on the other side. A few times the drummer and I were side by side in the back. Sometimes my rig can be as big as the drummers rig.

Bottom line: If you are not hidden behind somthing you're in good shape. If you're backline with the drums, you ought be on a riser the same height as the drums. If you're front-line, you probably want to be on one side or the other of the stage. Since keys are generally not mobile, you don't want to be in the way of those who are.

I used to be on the back-line on the drummer's left. Until the snare hits really started ringing my ears! I sang only backups at this time so it didn't matter if I was seen or not.

Now I am one of the lead singers and my rig is set up front far-right.

For me, it depends largely on the band...

With the blues band, my inclination is to setup as far away from the guitarist as possible. He tends to get overly loud, yet he constantly tells me to turn down. Been playing with him for over 14 years, so now it's more like a failing marriage where money has become a major factor in me staying in the band.

My jazz/funk band has a stage plot where I am normally set up stage right, with the guitarist betw myself and the drummer. My keys are facing towards the drummer and guitarist. In setting up this way, I can have direct eye contact with the rest of the band.

When playing in a five piece, I've almost always try to steer the band into a W. Bass and guitar on the wings, singer in front, and myself and the drummer to the rear. If one of the band mates moves in front of myself or the drummer, objects may be hurled to encourage them to return to their designated areas. Stage wandering was ok, but parking in front of someone else was not.

It does not matter where the keyboard player sets up. The guitarist will STILL get the chicks.

you can get the stands anywhere. just get a double-tiered X-shaped stand, and put the first tier as low as possible. then tilt the second tiers' arms down towards the audience and put the keyboard on there with the keys pointing at you. it makes it easier to play, too.

I play keys and guitar in an 80's Tribute/cover band. I set up stage left (facing toward the audience) with my keys (Triton Extreme, Roland XP30 on an Apex- Alesis Micron and submixer on a 2 tier Onstage to my left). Behind me along the backline is my guitar rig.

regarding a 4-piece guitar, bass, drums, keys band:

my preference has always been on the ride side of the drums. Most bass players i play with usually like to be on the high-hat side - this allows them to hear the high-hat really well, and therefore, gives them the best opportunity to lock in with the drums. I like this situation too cuz it allows me to hear the drums plenty fine without getting too much of them and hear the guitarist well too (who usually sets up in the front/middle). I tend not to need to hear all that much of the bass, too.

{censored} the guitarist.

And why would do that?

as far as i can tell, the only rule for where to put any musician is that the bass player should be next to the drummer. so i, being the bass player, am always next to the drummer.

right or left, we've never had a preferred arrangement, except that our line of sight must be open. because of my gear configuration this usually puts me to his left, as i use my left hand to operate gizmos such as sequencers and FX (in addition to playing bass, this would normally be impossible ... but the left foot makes it happen with that pedalboard thing.)

however, at our last gig he was able to be on _my_ left because of a concrete riser, which was actually cool as hell.

now there is one exception ... i've found that being further away from the drummer helps when playing Minimoog bass if i'm playing in a Bernie Worrell style, because there's something messed up about the distance that helps with that laid-back timing. {censored}ing weird.

I come from the school of thought that it's more fun for the audience to see the keys player in front. I don't like watching a keyboard player in the back. It's like when the guitar player or bass player have rests or the keyboard part is the most prominent part during part of the song, it takes away the energy and sucks it to the back of the stage. It's not like the keyboard player is the drummer who is the glue keeping the beat of the song. That's fine to be center in the back as the backbone, but not a key player and off to the side in the back it just looks and sounds wrong.