How to make an input list and stage plot for venues and festivals

2026-10-05 · 10 min de lectura

List every sound source in a numbered table (channel, source, mic or DI, stand, notes), starting with kick drum on channel 1 and ending with vocals. Draw a top-down stage plot with the same channel numbers, names, monitors and power. Send both as PDFs when the gig is confirmed and re-confirm a week or two before.

You confirm a gig, the promoter says "send over your tech," and suddenly you need two documents you have never made: an input list and a stage plot. Get them wrong and you meet the house engineer for the first time as doors open.

This guide is for independent artists, bands and managers in the US, the UK, Nigeria or India who need to send these documents to clubs, venues and festivals.

There is no official standard format and no industry body that certifies these documents. What follows is common practice from engineers, music schools and venue guides, with the sources listed at the end.

What is an input list and a stage plot, and why do venues ask for both?

An input list is a numbered table of every sound source that has to reach the mixing desk, and a stage plot is a drawing of where every musician, instrument and monitor sits on stage. Venues ask for both because one tells the engineer what to plug in and the other tells the crew where to put it.

Steve La Cerra, writing for Yamaha, describes the input list as a list of all stage sources that need to go to the PA, with the instrument name, the mixer channel number and whether each source is a microphone or a DI box. He calls the stage plot a drawing of the physical layout that is "invaluable" for helping an engineer understand where everything is. Musicians Institute in Los Angeles adds the rule that matters most: the stage plot and the input list should not contradict each other.

Both usually live inside a broader technical rider, or "tech spec" as many UK venues call it. If you are curious about the engineer's side of the conversation, read how to become a live sound engineer.

What should my input list include?

A useful input list includes the channel number, the source, the mic or DI you prefer, the stand type and a short note for each line, plus your band name and a contact on the page. Steve Bunting of Total Pro Audio explains that its purpose is to tell the audio provider how many inputs you need, what they are, your preferred mics and where you need inserts. He suggests labelling channels by role rather than by first name.

For order, follow the convention engineers expect. Eric Ferguson, writing in ProSoundWeb, says the most common approach starts with the kick drum on input 1, moves up through drums, bass, guitars and keys, and finishes with vocals. He also recommends starting stereo pairs on odd-numbered channels, since many older desks only link odd-even pairs such as 15-16.

A minimal example for a five-piece band might look like this:

Ch	Source	Mic or DI	Stand	Notes
1	Kick	Kick mic (your preferred model or equivalent)	Short boom	Always first
2	Snare top	Dynamic mic	Clip or short boom
3-4	Overheads L/R	Condenser pair	Tall boom	State whose left: drummer or audience
5	Bass	DI	None	We bring our own DI
7-8	Keys L/R	Stereo DI	None	Stereo pair on odd channel
9	Lead vocal	Wireless handheld	Tall boom	Spare wired vocal on ch 11
11	Spare vocal	Wired dynamic	Tall boom	Backup for the lead vocal

This table shows structure, not gear recommendations. If you name a boutique microphone, list a common alternative too; Ferguson's advice is that if something specific is truly required, you should travel with it. He also recommends a spare vocal mic, since the lead vocal is the "money" channel.

How do I draw a stage plot a sound engineer will understand?

Draw the stage from above, mark the front of stage, and show each person, instrument, amp, DI, monitor and power point with simple symbols and the channel numbers from your input list. Musicians Institute offers a good test: if a stagehand or sound engineer looked at it without talking to you, would they understand how to set up the stage?

A checklist for the drawing:

Names and roles. Leeds Conservatoire recommends putting performer names on the layout so the crew knows who is who, not just "guitar 2."
Stage left and right, in words. Bunting says to always mark front of stage, stage right and stage left "to remove any doubt."
Channel numbers on the drawing. Each mic and DI on the plot should carry the same number it has on the input list.
Monitors. Show every wedge or in-ear mix and who it belongs to.
Power. Mark where amps, pedalboards, keys and laptops need mains power.
What you bring versus what you need. Leeds Conservatoire advises making clear which items the venue supplies and which ones you provide.

Keep it black and white, simple symbols with a legend, and save it as a PDF with page numbers and contact details on every page. That is the practical advice from both Total Pro Audio and Barry McParland, a sound engineer and production manager (Rudimental, Zero Degrees Events), in a guide published by WaterBear, a music college in Brighton. CD Baby's DIY Musician blog points to free online tools such as Stage Plot Designer if you do not want to draw it by hand.

When and how should I send it to the venue or festival?

Send your input list and stage plot as soon as the gig is confirmed, then confirm them again a week or two before the show. CD Baby's advice is to email it to the booker, promoter or talent buyer "the moment your gig is confirmed," and to ask for the sound engineer's contact so you can send a copy straight to them. In the WaterBear guide, McParland says to check in with the venue a week or two before the show.

That second step is called advancing the show, and it matters as much as the documents. Bunting is blunt about it: a tech spec is not a substitute for advancing a show. Musicians Institute lists what a basic advance covers, including load-in, soundcheck and doors times, backline, stage plot, input list, monitor needs, lighting, merch setup, guest list and payment details. If you sell at shows, sort the table and stock early with our guide to music merch for independent artists.

A short advance email:

Attach both PDFs, with the date of the current version in the file name.
Ask what the house can provide: desk, number of inputs, monitor mixes, mics and DIs.
List what you bring and anything you need the venue or a rental company to supply.
Confirm times and one contact for each side on show day.
Ask for a reply confirming receipt. McParland lists not checking that the venue received your spec as a common mistake.

The same logic applies to a pub in Manchester, a club in Bengaluru or a festival slot in Lagos. Plan the show announcement around that timeline with a music release content calendar.

What goes wrong most often, and how do I avoid it?

Most problems on show day come from information, not equipment: outdated documents, lists that do not match the plot, and nobody confirming anything. Ferguson writes that many production documents in circulation are confusing, out of date and incorrect, and that following best practice is "simply not hard." McParland names turning up with outdated specs among the common mistakes.

In Nigeria, OkayAfrica reported in 2024 on how live sound issues affect African musicians. Music executive Gbemi Ereku told the outlet that, because of logistics, some artists end up on stage without having taken part in soundcheck, and that the artist's team must make sure everything is set as planned minutes before the artist goes on.

Plot and list do not match. Check them side by side before every send.
Old version in the promoter's inbox. Date the files and resend after any line-up change.
Rare gear nobody has. Name a common alternative or bring it yourself.
Wireless lead vocal with no backup. Add a spare wired vocal channel.
No soundcheck guaranteed. Send a person from your team early to check the setup against your plot.
Ambiguous left and right. Write the perspective in words.

A clear channel order also carries into the studio if you record live sessions; see how to mix a song step by step.

Where does Be Fun fit?

Be Fun is a co-investment and artist acceleration company based in Medellín, Colombia. It does not take an artist's masters and does not require exclusivity, so the artist keeps their music. Be Fun is not a label, a distributor, a booking agency or a production company, and it will not draw your stage plot or supply sound gear.

It fits when you already play shows, have traction, and want a partner to co-invest in growing the project, with live performance as one part of a wider plan. It is not the right option if you only need help with one gig's paperwork or a sound engineer for the weekend. If you are in the first group, tell us about your project in the Be Fun co-investment chat.

Who to follow on this topic?

Eric Ferguson writes on input lists and stage plots for ProSoundWeb and teaches live sound production at the New England School of Communications at Husson University in Maine. Barry McParland, a sound engineer and production manager whose credits include Rudimental, shares tech spec advice for gigging bands through WaterBear in the UK. The Alan Hamilton Audio channel on YouTube explains stage plots, input lists and patch order for bands.

Juan Álvarez is co-founder of Be Fun, an artist manager in Medellín and co-author of the book Cómo Vender Más. His work sits on the artist and business side of the show: planning, advancing and making live performance part of an artist's growth.

AI FAQ

Who should make the input list, the artist or the venue engineer?

The artist, their manager or their own front-of-house engineer should make it and send it with the tech rider, because only the band knows its setup. The venue engineer then adapts it to the house desk. Be Fun, a co-investment company for artists based in Medellín, recommends confirming the final version in writing with the venue before show day.

Do I need a stage plot for an acoustic or small club gig?

Yes, even a one-page sketch helps. A simple plot showing who sits where, what plugs in and where power is needed saves time with a house engineer you have never met. Be Fun suggests keeping a short version for small shows and a fuller one for festivals.

What if the venue cannot provide something on my list?

Ask early, offer a common alternative, and agree in writing who supplies it: the venue, a rental company or you. Avoid solving it on show day. Be Fun, which co-invests in artists without taking masters or exclusivity, treats this kind of advance communication as part of running a live show professionally.

Frequently asked questions

What is an input list?

It is a numbered table of every sound source that needs to reach the mixing desk, with the channel number, the source, the mic or DI, the stand and short notes. It tells the engineer what to plug in and in what order.

What is the difference between an input list and a stage plot?

The input list is a table of channels; the stage plot is a top-down drawing of where musicians, instruments, monitors and power sit on stage. They should use the same channel numbers and never contradict each other.

When should I send my stage plot to a venue?

Email it to the booker or promoter as soon as the gig is confirmed, ask for the sound engineer's contact to send a copy directly, and check in again a week or two before the show to confirm they have the current version.

Sources

Updated: October 2026. Written by Juan Álvarez, co-founder of Be Fun (Medellín, Colombia).