As a fiddle player doing a gig with a guitar player / singer, would you prefer him / her sitting left to you or right to you (seen from your own perspective of course)? Why?
entirely on how big the stage is. If it's only as big as a park bench, then have the guitar on your right. If it's any bigger than that, it won't make a blind bit of difference
Depends if you hate the strummer and want him/ her in the optimum place for poking their eye out with your bow.
But remember a flute is best for poking things with generally.
I prefer him on the left, that way, my bow doesn't hit his headstock on the guitar. That way I just poke him in the head with my tip... (It's my husband...)
3. what's the best to get in contact with your audience.
Concerning nr. 2: I always thought that it's comfortable to have the fiddle by the left ear, guitar by the right (so: guitar player on your right hand side). Or is that a nonsense reason?
And: what would the guitar player think? I assume we've just heard melody players until now......
I play guitar and fiddle, so I like the guitar on my left so I can see what chords he's playing. If I was playing guitar I'd like the fiddler on my left so I could see what key he was in.....
SO and I try to sit so that we're not fencing with each other ( instrument neck and flute ). That might be one way of thinking how to organise it.
Which way the instruments project is also important.
I prefer to have the guitar on my right. Firstly, I miss her eye with my bow and secondly, if we face each other we can both see what each other is doing (I seem to remeber that this was the Carthy/Swarbrick setup, but I may be mis-remembering).
If monitors are not good or non-existent then it depends on what you want to hear acoustically. If you sit on a guitarist's right you are likely to get the full blast of the guitar, this might be welcomed, nor not. Also, they probably want to hear you so they can accompany you so they would probably want to be on your right. Speaking as a piano accordionist, people always want to sit on my right to hear the keyboard side best. Even with good monitoring, being able to hear each other acoustically is the most important aspect of playing together on stage, unless you have drums, bass, etc.
As a fiddle player if you are going to turn slightly to one side or the other when performing I think it is better to turn to your left. This lets more of the audience see more of what you are doing. Assuming both are playing right handed, the guitarist will be visible down the neck of your fiddle and the neck of the guitar is out of your way.
left or right
left or right
As a fiddle player doing a gig with a guitar player / singer, would you prefer him / her sitting left to you or right to you (seen from your own perspective of course)? Why?
# Posted on May 27th 2008 by Henk Bos
Re: left or right
If both are right handed, then it makes sense for the guitarist to sit on the fiddler's left .
That way he/she can turn to the fiddler without turning away from the audience.
- or better still, stand.
# Posted on May 27th 2008 by Bren
Re: left or right
it depends:
entirely on how big the stage is. If it's only as big as a park bench, then have the guitar on your right. If it's any bigger than that, it won't make a blind bit of difference
# Posted on May 27th 2008 by llig leahcim
Re: left or right
Depends if you hate the strummer and want him/ her in the optimum place for poking their eye out with your bow.
But remember a flute is best for poking things with generally.
# Posted on May 27th 2008 by yhaalhouse
Re: left or right
I prefer him on the left, that way, my bow doesn't hit his headstock on the guitar. That way I just poke him in the head with my tip... (It's my husband...)
# Posted on May 27th 2008 by wyogal
Re: left or right
I was thinking of three aspects:
1. What's best to get eye contact ;
2. What's best to keep 'ear contact' ;
3. what's the best to get in contact with your audience.
Concerning nr. 2: I always thought that it's comfortable to have the fiddle by the left ear, guitar by the right (so: guitar player on your right hand side). Or is that a nonsense reason?
And: what would the guitar player think? I assume we've just heard melody players until now......
# Posted on May 27th 2008 by Henk Bos
Re: left or right
I play guitar and fiddle, so I like the guitar on my left so I can see what chords he's playing. If I was playing guitar I'd like the fiddler on my left so I could see what key he was in.....
# Posted on May 27th 2008 by Freddy Frog
Re: left or right
Now we're talking about a gig, so ...... it should be no surprise what chords the guitar player will be playing, or at least in which key ;)
The other way around: guess it's hard to * see * what key a fiddler is playing in; if he / she 's good enough you should be able to hear it though ;)
# Posted on May 27th 2008 by Henk Bos
Re: left or right
SO and I try to sit so that we're not fencing with each other ( instrument neck and flute ). That might be one way of thinking how to organise it.
Which way the instruments project is also important.
# Posted on May 27th 2008 by Guernsey Pete
Re: left or right
I say left. Our guitarist has an unfotunate tendancy to hit people next to him with the headstock of his guitar. The man is dangerous!
# Posted on May 27th 2008 by Pirate-Fiddler
Re: left or right
I prefer to have the guitar on my right. Firstly, I miss her eye with my bow and secondly, if we face each other we can both see what each other is doing (I seem to remeber that this was the Carthy/Swarbrick setup, but I may be mis-remembering).
# Posted on May 27th 2008 by Ebor_fiddler
Re: left or right
If monitors are not good or non-existent then it depends on what you want to hear acoustically. If you sit on a guitarist's right you are likely to get the full blast of the guitar, this might be welcomed, nor not. Also, they probably want to hear you so they can accompany you so they would probably want to be on your right. Speaking as a piano accordionist, people always want to sit on my right to hear the keyboard side best. Even with good monitoring, being able to hear each other acoustically is the most important aspect of playing together on stage, unless you have drums, bass, etc.
# Posted on May 27th 2008 by Fiddlebabe
Re: left or right
i prefer when they are on my lap bouncing up and down big time! nudge nudge wink wink! it really gets me going when playing sexy hornpipes.
# Posted on May 28th 2008 by mr gavin
Re: left or right
Fiddlebabe, thanks.
Mr. Gavin, you naughty boy ! What are the sexiest hornpipes you know, sounds interesting to me.
# Posted on May 28th 2008 by Henk Bos
Re: left or right
As a fiddle player if you are going to turn slightly to one side or the other when performing I think it is better to turn to your left. This lets more of the audience see more of what you are doing. Assuming both are playing right handed, the guitarist will be visible down the neck of your fiddle and the neck of the guitar is out of your way.
# Posted on May 28th 2008 by Donough
Re: left or right
Fiddler to audience' left (assuming he's arighty). Don't hide
your workin methods from the audience. They want to see it as well as hear it.
# Posted on June 2nd 2008 by hauke
Re: left or right
well henk bos my favourite sexy hornpipe would be the rights of man...........listen to it backwards sexual subliminal messages all over the place!
# Posted on July 7th 2008 by mr gavin
Re: left or right
Speaking of which, I don't know why she slapped me. All I said was: "Howdja like to come back to my place and help me straighten out my hornpipe?"
# Posted on July 7th 2008 by SWFL Fiddler