Wherever possible, the New Queen’s Hall Orchestra is laid out in the traditional way, with the first violins on the left and second violins on the right of the stage, the cellos left of centre, the violas to the right of centre and with the double-basses spread across the back behind the woodwind.

The majority of the great conductors of the past followed this lay-out for three main reasons:

1. •the even balance of treble and bass across the platform.
   

1. •the ability to exploit antiphonal writing for the violins, which is now totally lost if the seconds are placed behind the firsts.
   

1. •the need for the whole orchestra to stand on a solid bass line.
   

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