Concert stage layout -- who made who?

It's a little known fact that Inkly Dinkly the giant squid passed on a lucrative deal in the mid-sixties at the height of his cartoon career citing health reasons. Dinkly then returned to his first love, music, but subsequent studio work was hampered by his constant need to remain submerged during rehearsal sessions. Though he is uncredited for numerous rock albums of the period, Dinky may be best remembered through his students, Ginger Baker, Jim Gordon and Mitch Mitchell. Dinkly's lasting tribute remains the Beatles tune Octopus's Garden, a creature with which he was often confused. On a sad note, Dinkly's slide into alcoholism began when promoters' reneged on a contract to make full accomodation for his 16 foot wide glass tank at Woodstock opting instead to provide him a common oaken barrel filled with Genessee Beer. Unconfirmed sightings suggest Dinkly played out the rest of his days along San Francisco's Fisherman's Wharf where his simultaneous mastery of the bottleneck slide, tambourine, marimbas and banjo delighted tourists and locals alike.

Rock: :)

Sean, I'm willing to bet that your speakers are exactly ten feet apart.

I agree with Sean, there's an awful lot of panning of drumsets across the whole soundstage on a lot of recordings. More impact, I guess. I think Rockvirgo's explanation for this phenomenon is the most convincing I've heard!

Being a former drummer, I concur with Tvad. I think Sean makes a good point about the motives behind the mixing. Looking for more impact - but I often find it annoying - hearing the high-hat on one side and the snare on the other is just TOO much. OK, if it is the Doobie Brothers with two sets, you can see it :-) Rock is especially rife with examples of incorrect soundstaging. I've personally seen a number of bands a number of times who, for instance, ALWAYS have the lead guiatrist on the left side of the stage, the vocalist next, the bassists next, the keyboard on the far right with the drummer center and behind. Even on different songs within the same LP, these staging positions vary. Now, they may move around a bit on stage, but not a full shift from one side to the other. This sometimes occurs even on LIVE LP's. But, as long as it sounds good, I don't let it bother me - nervous tic aside... :-)