# Why is the drummer in bands normally on a riser? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 26, 2017, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-drummer-in-bands-normally-on-a-riser/794732 "2017-08-26T14:05:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2017, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-drummer-in-bands-normally-on-a-riser/794732/1 "2017-08-26T14:05:52Z")
So he/she can see the rest of band better? That’s about the only reason I can think of. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2017, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-drummer-in-bands-normally-on-a-riser/794732/2 "2017-08-26T14:29:43Z")
So the audience can see him better. The drummer is sitting down, while everyone else is standing up, so you need to put the drums up higher to put all of the performers on close to the same level. ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2017, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-drummer-in-bands-normally-on-a-riser/794732/3 "2017-08-26T14:52:42Z")
Because Ringo did it. It was part of staging acts on early TV show appearances and stuck. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2017, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-drummer-in-bands-normally-on-a-riser/794732/4 "2017-08-26T14:58:07Z")
Are drummers ever put on a riser in a recording session? No. It’s purely for others to see them sweat. ---
**Author:** ![Ukulele\_Ike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/df788c/32.png) [@Ukulele\_Ike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ukulele_Ike)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2017, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-drummer-in-bands-normally-on-a-riser/794732/5 "2017-08-26T15:36:21Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > …you need to put the drums up higher to put all of the performers on close to the same level. Nice try. But you’re NEVER gonna get a drummer up to the other performers’ level. (The trouble with drummer jokes is you don’t get a rimshot.) ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2017, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-drummer-in-bands-normally-on-a-riser/794732/6 "2017-08-26T15:39:56Z")
[This guy needs a higher riser.](https://youtu.be/ItZyaOlrb7E?t=42s) ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2017, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-drummer-in-bands-normally-on-a-riser/794732/7 "2017-08-26T15:43:33Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > The drummer is sitting down ([except when he/she isn’t](http://www.portlandmercury.com/endhits/archives/2011/02/08/how-many-male-drummers-stand-while-playing)) ---
**Author:** ![Channing\_Idaho\_Banks](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/channing_idaho_banks/32/250_2.png) [@Channing\_Idaho\_Banks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Channing_Idaho_Banks)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2017, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-drummer-in-bands-normally-on-a-riser/794732/8 "2017-08-26T15:49:37Z")
He’s sitting in the back, so more difficult to se if you’re standing in the orchestra pit. ---
**Author:** ![zoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zoid/32/336_2.png) [@zoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zoid)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2017, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-drummer-in-bands-normally-on-a-riser/794732/9 "2017-08-26T15:51:29Z")
What do you call a guy who hangs around with musicians in order to pick up girls? ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2017, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-drummer-in-bands-normally-on-a-riser/794732/10 "2017-08-26T17:06:34Z")
some drummers play behind plexiglass in concert to keep the volume down for the rest of the band. Saw that this month with Blondie . The drum sound was fine for the crowd since it was being sent to the PA with the rest of the instruments and vocals. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2017, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-drummer-in-bands-normally-on-a-riser/794732/11 "2017-08-26T17:11:09Z")
> [@zoid](#): > > What do you call a guy who hangs around with musicians in order to pick up girls? The road manager? ---
**Author:** ![irritant](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/dfb087/32.png) [@irritant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/irritant)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2017, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-drummer-in-bands-normally-on-a-riser/794732/12 "2017-08-26T17:28:55Z")
Q: How can you tell when a stage riser is level? A: The drool comes out of both sides of the drummer’s mouth. ---
**Author:** ![zoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zoid/32/336_2.png) [@zoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zoid)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2017, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-drummer-in-bands-normally-on-a-riser/794732/13 "2017-08-26T17:41:43Z")
Q: What do you call a drummer with no girlfriend? A: Homeless ---
**Author:** ![gaffa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e68b1a/32.png) [@gaffa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gaffa)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2017, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-drummer-in-bands-normally-on-a-riser/794732/14 "2017-08-26T17:49:44Z")
> [@Bijou\_Drains](#): > > some drummers play behind plexiglass in concert to keep the volume down for the rest of the band. Saw that this month with Blondie . The drum sound was fine for the crowd since it was being sent to the PA with the rest of the instruments and vocals. The trend in concert sound these days is towards a quiet stage. All the musicians wear “in-ear monitors” (basically very expensive custom molded earphones), bass is via a “direct box” that takes the sound of the instrument directly to the mixing board and guitar amps are in big boxes off stage. The only really loud thing on the stage is the drummer, and the Plexiglas panels help keep the sound of the cymbals out of the vocal microphones. A well done quiet stage, the musicians can actually talk to each other. The advantage for the audience is that without incredibly loud instruments on stage, the musicians don’t have even louder monitor speakers on stage to get over the loudness of the instruments. And without those loud monitor speakers, the main speakers don’t have to be louder than the monitors. And back to the original question - by putting the drummer on a riser, it acoustically decouples the drums from the other instruments. On a riser, the snare is less likely to buzz every time the bassist plays a note, and the kick isn’t getting into the guitar amps. Oh, and how does a bass player answer the phone? “Thank you for calling Dominos.” ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2017, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-drummer-in-bands-normally-on-a-riser/794732/15 "2017-08-26T23:22:47Z")
The sad thing is, the bass player is working at Pizza Hut at the time. ---
**Author:** ![buddha\_david](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ee7513/32.png) [@buddha\_david](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/buddha_david)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2017, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-drummer-in-bands-normally-on-a-riser/794732/16 "2017-08-27T01:59:27Z")
Q: What do you say to make a drummer stand up? “Will the defendant please rise.” ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2017, 2:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-drummer-in-bands-normally-on-a-riser/794732/17 "2017-08-27T02:57:21Z")
> [@WordMan](#): > > Because Ringo did it. > > It was part of staging acts on early TV show appearances and stuck. [Before Ringo.](http://www.buddymorrowproductions.com/images/slider/tommy-dorsey-orchestra-1.jpg) [Before TV.](https://djwein.files.wordpress.com/2014/12/gm-1941glenn_miller_orchestra-e1418669913191.jpg) [Even before radio.](http://images.bravoyourcity.com/images/b79/489/b794896274ce16f3e2b10925e779b979cc45ad4f-x425.jpg?compressionQuality=80&id=52e164af94c839107f000009&op=scale&version=1) [Because it’s hard to put drums just anywhere.](http://www.swingmusic.net/big_band_music_pics/big_band_music_benny_goodman_big_band.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2017, 11:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-drummer-in-bands-normally-on-a-riser/794732/18 "2017-08-27T11:19:19Z")
> [@kunilou](#): > > [Before Ringo.](http://www.buddymorrowproductions.com/images/slider/tommy-dorsey-orchestra-1.jpg) > > [Before TV.](https://djwein.files.wordpress.com/2014/12/gm-1941glenn_miller_orchestra-e1418669913191.jpg) > > [Even before radio.](http://images.bravoyourcity.com/images/b79/489/b794896274ce16f3e2b10925e779b979cc45ad4f-x425.jpg?compressionQuality=80&id=52e164af94c839107f000009&op=scale&version=1) > > [Because it’s hard to put drums just anywhere.](http://www.swingmusic.net/big_band_music_pics/big_band_music_benny_goodman_big_band.jpg) Yep, I was too glib. It really mattered even more when a big band was stacking up players vs a few-piece rock band. ---
**Author:** ![SykoSkotty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c0e974/32.png) [@SykoSkotty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SykoSkotty)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2017, 12:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-drummer-in-bands-normally-on-a-riser/794732/19 "2017-08-27T12:46:20Z")
> [@gaffa](#): > > The trend in concert sound these days is towards a quiet stage. All the musicians wear “in-ear monitors” (basically very expensive custom molded earphones), bass is via a “direct box” that takes the sound of the instrument directly to the mixing board and guitar amps are in big boxes off stage. The only really loud thing on the stage is the drummer, and the Plexiglas panels help keep the sound of the cymbals out of the vocal microphones. > > A well done quiet stage, the musicians can actually talk to each other. > > The advantage for the audience is that without incredibly loud instruments on stage, the musicians don’t have even louder monitor speakers on stage to get over the loudness of the instruments. And without those loud monitor speakers, the main speakers don’t have to be louder than the monitors. > > And back to the original question - by putting the drummer on a riser, it acoustically decouples the drums from the other instruments. On a riser, the snare is less likely to buzz every time the bassist plays a note, and the kick isn’t getting into the guitar amps. > > Oh, and how does a bass player answer the phone? “Thank you for calling Dominos.” Perfect answer - thank you. ---
**Author:** ![gaffa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e68b1a/32.png) [@gaffa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gaffa)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2017, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-drummer-in-bands-normally-on-a-riser/794732/20 "2017-08-27T15:43:48Z")
> [@SykoSkotty](#): > > Perfect answer - thank you. You’re welcome. One other reason for the drum riser - it gives the other musicians a nice stable jumping off spot. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-drummer-in-bands-normally-on-a-riser/794732.md?page=2)