Make a one-page stage plot and input list before soundcheck

A one-page stage plot and input list turns your setup from a group explanation into a clear handoff for the venue, engineer, or volunteer sound person.

If your band has ever spent the first 15 minutes of soundcheck answering the same questions, you already know the problem. Who sings lead? Where does the bass amp go? Does the keyboard need a DI? Is the drummer on a click? Who needs a wedge, and who uses IEMs?

You do not need a full technical rider to fix most of this. For small bands, worship teams, openers, and DIY shows, one clean page is often enough.

The goal is not to look like a touring production manager. The goal is to send a document that helps someone prepare the stage before you arrive, then helps your band move faster once you are there.

What a stage plot and input list actually do

A stage plot is the map. It shows where people and equipment belong on stage from a top-down view. Think singers, drums, amps, keyboards, DI boxes, monitor wedges, IEM stations, risers, and power needs.

An input list is the audio checklist. It explains how each sound source reaches the mixer. For a small band, it can be a simple table with channel number, source, mic or DI, stand type, and notes.

The two should agree. If your drawing shows three vocal mics, your input list should not show two. If your keyboard appears on the plot, the input list should say whether it is mono, stereo, DI, or going through an amp.

Keep the page practical. A venue usually needs fast answers more than a beautiful diagram.

• Where does everyone stand? Mark each musician by name or role, such as lead vocal, drums, bass, guitar, keys, or tracks.
• What makes sound? Include every instrument, vocal mic, laptop, playback device, or click/cue feed that needs to be heard or patched.
• What needs power? Note pedalboards, keyboards, laptops, modelers, wireless systems, and IEM transmitters.
• What needs monitoring? Mark wedges, IEM users, and any must-hear requests, such as lead vocal in every mix.

Build the stage plot first

Start with a blank page in landscape orientation. Put the audience at the bottom. Label stage left and stage right from the performer’s point of view. This matters because it avoids the classic confusion where the guitarist says left and the engineer hears the opposite.

Draw simple boxes or circles. You do not need exact scale unless the venue has unusual stage dimensions. Clarity matters more than architectural precision.

Basic small-band layout example:

• Drums: Center rear, with vocal mic if the drummer sings.
• Bass: Stage right, amp behind player, DI from pedalboard or amp if needed.
• Guitar: Stage left, amp behind player, vocal mic at front if they sing.
• Keys: Front or side position, stereo DI if the part relies on stereo, otherwise mono DI for simplicity.
• Lead vocal: Front center, straight stand or boom stand, wedge or IEM noted nearby.

Then add monitor needs. If a player uses wedges, draw the wedge in front of them. If they use IEMs, write IEM next to their name and note whether they bring their own system or need a feed from the venue.

If your band runs a click or backing tracks, be specific. A click that only goes to the drummer’s ears is very different from a track that needs to reach front of house. Do not make the sound person guess.

For bands building a more consistent monitoring setup, Wave in-ear monitors can be part of the workflow, but the document still needs to say who uses IEMs and what feed they need. Gear does not replace clear labeling.

Make the input list easy to scan

Your input list should be boring in the best way. Use a table-like format that lets the sound person see the whole band at once.

Here is a practical example for a five-piece band:

• 1 - Kick: Mic, short stand.
• 2 - Snare: Mic, short stand.
• 3 - Overhead: Mic, boom stand, phantom if needed.
• 4 - Bass: DI, from pedalboard.
• 5 - Electric guitar: Mic on amp, short stand.
• 6 - Keys left: DI.
• 7 - Keys right: DI, or remove this channel if running mono.
• 8 - Lead vocal: Vocal mic, straight stand, front center.
• 9 - Guitar vocal: Vocal mic, boom stand, stage left.
• 10 - Drum vocal: Vocal mic, boom stand, center rear.
• 11 - Tracks: DI from interface, to front of house.
• 12 - Click: DI from interface, IEMs only, do not send to house.

You can adapt this to any lineup. A trio might only need six channels. A worship team with multiple vocals may need more, plus clear notes about talkback, tracks, or MD cues.

Use plain language in the notes column. For example: acoustic guitar DI, needs phantom. Bass DI, no amp. Vocal 2 sings only two songs. Laptop tracks are stereo. Click is drummer only. These details save time because they answer questions before cables are moved.

If you use a tempo or click system live, write down who hears it and where it comes from. You can prep tempos in The Metronome app, but your input list should still explain whether the click is private, routed to IEMs, or part of a playback rig.

Use this pre-send checklist

Before you send the page, read it like you are the person seeing your band for the first time. They may not know your songs, your gear, or your shorthand.

• Check the names. Use role names if personal names are not helpful: lead vocal, bass, drums, keys, acoustic guitar.
• Check the count. Make sure the number of vocal mics, DIs, amps, and monitor mixes matches between the plot and the input list.
• Check stage directions. Label stage left, stage right, upstage, downstage, and audience.
• Check power notes. Mark where you need outlets, especially for keys, pedalboards, laptops, modelers, and IEM systems.
• Check monitor notes. Write wedge or IEM beside each player, and include any essential mix needs.
• Check special cases. Add notes for backing tracks, click, talkback, instrument changes, shared mics, or songs where a player switches instruments.
• Check the file name. Use something clear, such as BandName_stage_plot_inputs_2026.pdf.

Five-minute rehearsal drill:

1. Put the stage plot on the floor or a table during rehearsal.
2. Have each player point to their position, power, input, and monitor need.
3. Say the input list out loud from channel 1 to the end.
4. Fix anything that causes hesitation or disagreement.
5. Save the final version as a PDF and send it with your advance email.

This quick run-through catches the small mistakes that become big delays at soundcheck, like a missing DI, a forgotten vocal mic, or a click track that nobody wants in the house mix.

Once your one-page version works, keep it updated. Change it when a player moves, a new keyboard gets added, the drummer starts singing, or the band switches from wedges to IEMs. The best stage plot is not the prettiest one. It is the one that matches what you actually bring to the gig.

Before your next show, make the page, send it early, and bring a copy on your phone. Soundcheck will still require listening and adjusting, but at least the setup conversation starts from the same map.