What a stage plot needs to show

Start with the stage viewed from the audience. Put each performer in roughly the position they will occupy, then add the equipment that matters to the crew: vocal microphones, guitar and bass amps, drum kit, keyboards, DI boxes, monitor wedges or IEM positions and any unusual instruments. Label people and equipment clearly. The goal is not an artistic drawing; it is a fast technical reference.

Keep the layout realistic

Place equipment where it will actually be used. If the drummer is centre upstage, show the kit there. If the bass player normally stands stage right with an amp behind them, show that relationship. Keep enough space between labels that the plot can still be read on a phone or a printed A4 sheet. Stageplot uses an audience-facing view so the left and right positions remain consistent for the person receiving the rider.

Add monitor and microphone requirements

Show each monitor position and identify who it belongs to. If somebody uses in-ear monitors instead of a wedge, note that rather than drawing equipment the venue does not need to provide. Vocal microphones should be attached to the relevant performer. For instruments, make clear whether the venue needs to mic an amplifier, provide a DI, or simply receive a line output.

Pair the plot with an input list

The picture explains where things are; the input list explains what needs to reach the mixing desk. Number the channels and describe the source, microphone or DI requirement and phantom-power requirement where relevant. A typical rock-band list might include kick, snare, toms, overheads, bass DI, guitar microphones and vocals. Keeping the list beside the stage plot removes guesswork during load-in.

Include the details that prevent surprises

Use the notes area for information that cannot be communicated cleanly on the diagram: unusual power requirements, backing-track connections, stereo keyboard outputs, extra stands, changeovers, shared backline or equipment the band is bringing itself. If a detail could change what the venue prepares before you arrive, it belongs in the rider.

What to leave out

Avoid filling the page with information that does not help the technical team. You normally do not need exact cable routes, decorative graphics, biographies or a paragraph describing every instrument. Keep the plot readable and put longer production notes in the technical-rider notes instead.

Before you send it

Check that the band/contact name is correct, every performer is represented, the stage layout matches the current lineup, input numbers are sequential and the PDF is readable at normal size. If the lineup or equipment changes, export a fresh rider rather than expecting the venue to remember an amendment from an email thread.