Technical Rider and Sound Requirements

A technical rider is a document that tells the venue exactly what you need to perform. It covers your equipment requirements, stage setup, sound specifications, and any other technical needs. Having a clear, professional tech rider makes you easier to work with, ensures consistent sound quality across different venues, and signals to promoters that you take your live show seriously.

At minimum, your tech rider should include: a stage plot (a diagram showing where each performer and piece of equipment is positioned), an input list (every channel needed at the mixing desk, with the instrument or microphone type for each), monitor requirements (how many monitor mixes you need and who needs to hear what), and a list of any equipment you need the venue to provide (microphones, DI boxes, drum kit, amplifiers).

For solo artists using backing tracks, specify your playback setup clearly. Note whether you need a stereo channel for your backing tracks and a separate channel for your vocal. If your backing tracks include a click track (a metronome on a separate output that only you hear through an in-ear monitor), specify the output routing. Bring your own in-ear monitors and a personal mixer if possible — this gives you control over your own monitoring without depending on the venue.