The Show Must Go On: Part Two

Stage Design

Arranging your equipment on the stage is a tricky business. No two stages are alike. Some are wide, some are deep, and some shouldn't be called a stage at all. I've been on stages so small that the other guitar player and myself had to stand on the dance floor. So, my first tip is to know the venue you plan to play in. Send someone to scope out the stage and surrounding area in plenty of time before you play. If this is not possible, get the dimensions of the stage (including ceiling height) form the venue manager in detail. Don't take "Oh . . . it's probably 20 feet by 15 feet" as an answer. You may arrive at the venue and find out the stage is really 15'x10' which would leave you scrambling at the last minute. Remember that a show gig means advanced planning.

Now that you have the stage dimensions, lay it out on paper. Attention should be paid to making sure your audience has the best possible view. Excess cords and equipment should be placed out of sight as much as possible unless of course you're going for that "big mess all over the stage" look. Hiding stuff behind amps, PA cabs, and the drum riser will give your stage a cleaner and more professional look.

To create a stage plan I suggest using graph paper. Make each square equal to one foot or meter. Measure the space that each piece of your band's equipment takes up. Remember to allow for the necessary space around the equipment to make it useful - space for cords hanging out the back and places for the musician to stand need to be factored in. Doing this diagram on a computer is the easiest way. If you are using paper to make your plans, cut out templates of the equipment so they can be moved around your stage planning paper. Remember, that it is easier to move around bits of paper than 200 pound speaker cabinets. If you have to play many unknown locations, it may be a good idea to have many stage plans laid out in advance.

On our stage plan there are several important placement features that are worth noting. First and foremost is the PA speaker placement. The PA speakers are in front of the band. This has two major advantages. First, this cuts down on the amount of feedback because the output from the speakers doesn't go straight into the mics. Second, the band doesn't get their heads blown off by the volume. Next, the monitor speakers are also in front of the mics pointing back toward the band. Once again, this avoids direct sound input into the mics, but allows good stage sound coverage. By angling the monitors in a cross pattern as we did, you get a better stereo spread on the stage and a truer sound of the band.

The guitar stacks are at the back of the stage. This isn't necessary however. In fact, if your guitars are patched into the PA this is probably undesirable. In our case this is done for esthetics. We just think it looks cool. However, if you do have two guitar players (as we do), splitting the guitar amps on either side of the stage gives a better stereo spread for the audience. Putting the guitar amps at the back of the stage also allowed us to better hide our big mess of cords.

In our plan, we use the PA speakers and the keyboard rig to hide as much of the excess gear as possible. Extra guitars, on stage mixing boards and effect processors, and our giant collection of cords, wall and line warts, and power blocks are all neatly tucked away behind important pieces of equipment. In this case, I refer to important pieces of equipment as equipment that the audience expects to see. Guitar/bass amps, keyboards, drums, and speakers are things the audience expects to see. Everything else should be kept out of sight.

We also need to consider the height on any venue. Our lighting truss is twenty feet across and therefore needs to be above the audience's heads in most situations. Some clubs have their own lighting, but this would never do for us. We have way too many lights and effects for most club's lighting trusses to hold. In the picture below, note that the lights are quite apparent with only a 7' clearance. Details like this are very important to consider before deciding if you can play a venue. In our case, we would rather not play a gig than do a poor job.

Visually, we have set up our stage so that most of the audience will have a good view of everything that is happening on stage. The center of our stage is the drum riser. It has a large backlit "TEETH" sign on it. Our mics are placed in a position to always allow a good view of the drummer and the sign. Our PA speakers are used to frame the stage and focus the audience's eyes on the musicians. The amps are used as a back drop to hide as much of the back wall as possible. In the future we are going to add a backdrop curtain and a large "Armed to the Teeth" sign over the drummer.

Here is an interesting stage tip. Put tape down on the stage floor to outline the position of the mic stands and other important pieces of stage equipment. This is called "spiking." The tape marks the positions where important pieces of equipment are to be placed. If the equipment has to be moved or is knocked over during the show, it can quickly be placed back in the correct location. This is very important when you are using fixed spot lights as we do. If the mic stand were to get moved, either L.D. or I may be standing in the dark on our next song.

Stage setup is just another perfect example of how a good show band makes everything come together. Finally, with everything set, it is time to take to the stage and make their jaws drop. Always remember, "The Show Must Go On."

I hope you have enjoyed this series of articles. If you have any ideas about how you would like to see this series expanded, please email me at cliffnotes@harmony-central.com and let me know. I would love to take any ideas you have and write a part three for this series.

Until next time, Keep Jamming,

Cliff

Cliff Suttle (cliffnotes@harmony-central.com) has been studying music for over twenty years including studies at the University of Michigan. Fluent on keyboards, guitar, and bass, Cliff is currently playing in an all original rock band Middle Earth. Cliff's motto: Understand the theory and you can play anything.