A stage plot is needed by every touring band. You’re going to be making the lives of team owners, venue bookers, and live-sound engineers considerably easier by sending them a precise stage plot and input list well ahead of time of your show.
You create installation your load-in, and soundcheck experience.
What is a stage plot?
A point plot is a visual representation that exemplifies your group’s live performance setup, band member positioning on stage, what equipment you use, and some other useful information to your venue.
What do I include?
- Representation of where every member is positioned on point.
- The titles of each member and what instruments they play.
- How many mics, DIs, monitors, and wires (XLRs or 1/4 inch) you will want the place to provide.
- What sound equipment, if any, you are going to be providing.
- Whether bass and keyboard amplifiers have outputs. Will they operate direct or be mic would?
- Where the amps will be put in relation.
How can I create a stage plot?
Check Stage Plot Designer out if you need something easy and free. It doesn’t have to be pretty and neat, it has to be accurate. I encourage adding any logistical or technical details.
What can I use if I’m in a rush?
If you end up in a situation where you will need to draw your point plot last-minute, and NOT on a napkin, then you may use these symbols to make things clear.
- Use a collection of circles to endure for the set.
- An X inside of a circle denotes microphones.
- Amps are rectangles.
- Stage wedges are triangles.
Keyboards, guitars, basses, DJ channels,… you may have to use some of your grade-school doodling skills.
At least send an input list to the place if you can not create a point plot.
For instance:
Dave- Standard kit. Mic for kick. Mic for snare/hat. 1 overhead. Vocal mic on boom stand. Monitor to his left.
Janet- electric guitar & acoustic. Stands center stage. Vocal mic on boom stand. Guitar amp to the left of screen. Additionally, DI for acoustic guitar.
Peter- bass. stands stage left. Boom mic for vocals. Bass rig sits stage has balanced out.
Alice- two keyboards, both going into keyboard amp with out. Additionally one mic on boom stand that doubles as trumpet mic.
What do I do with my point diagram?
Email it to the booker or talent-buyer the moment. Ask them if you can find the engineer the contact information and send it. You may be also sent an email or contract with more info about the gig by the booker. The person’s contact information may be on there. Make certain to check.