The sound you are striving for is your ultimate goal in determining set-up. According to MENC members, getting the right mixture of that sound requires consideration of several parts:

• The Conductor—Developing the ability to adjust to changes in set-up according to the situation takes practice. Break out of comfortable mindsets by experimenting with new ways of presenting a piece.
• The Musicians—Positioning and the surrounding space create different views, both of one's own music and the connection to other instrumentalists in the ensemble.
• The Audience—People respond not only to what they hear, but also to what they see. The set-up provides the audience with subtle hints that influence how they experience the performance.
• The Stage—The layout of the location in which you perform has an effect on what kinds of set-ups you can do. For example, a curved series of steps leaves out the option for flat rows.
   

Getting these elements to combine might mean putting the body of the flute closest to the audience and the horn at the very back of the ensemble. You might have different experience levels playing together and have to adjust the complexity of the piece. The space between instrumentalists might have to be wide enough so everyone can listen to their own sound better.

As MENC member Ted Henderson said on the MENC forum, "Like a great painting benefits from its own special lighting, I think each band benefits from its own seating arrangement. My band changes so much from year to year that one seating arrangement does not fit all."

Part One
Part Three

—Paul Fergus, January 14, 2010. © MENC: The National Association for Music Education