Input list

Each row describes one input path rather than merely naming a performer. A stereo keyboard normally needs two rows when both outputs are used; a drum kit may require several distinct microphone channels. The list can identify console channel number, source, microphone or DI requirement, stand type, stage socket and notes. The exact columns depend on the event, but every column should answer an operational question for the crew.

Separate the preferred channel order from the physical patch when they differ. A digital console can receive stage socket twelve on processing channel four, so one number cannot always represent both. Clear headers such as Console channel and Stage input prevent ambiguity. A list that only says Vocal 1 may also need the performer's position or role so a substitute technician knows which actual microphone to connect.

Read the list alongside the stage plot, which shows where the sources belong. The list explains what enters the system; the plot explains its physical location. Neither automatically describes every monitor mix or output feed. Add separate output documentation when necessary, keeping the input document readable instead of squeezing unrelated routing details into unstructured comments.

An accurate list lets a supplier assess channel capacity, microphone stock, interfaces and stage cabling before equipment arrives. It also supports console preparation and orderly line checking. Missing a stereo playback pair or an additional speech microphone can consume the last available inputs at the worst moment. Identifying those needs in advance gives the production team time to choose a realistic solution rather than improvise an undocumented patch.

The document is also a shared reference during faults and changeovers. If everyone agrees that channel nine is the acoustic guitar DI, a technician can test that path without asking the whole band to stop and identify every cable. Consistent labels reduce mistakes, but consistency must follow reality. A tidy obsolete list is less useful than a clearly revised one that accurately reflects the current performance setup.

Use specific microphone requirements only where they matter, and distinguish a preference from a non-substitutable requirement. If an equivalent device is acceptable, say so without implying that every model has identical sensitivity or powering. Phantom power should be confirmed for the actual connected equipment, not copied unquestioningly from an old file. Document unusual adapters, split feeds and equipment supplied by the performer before the crew builds the patch.

Give the file a clear event identifier, revision and date, then distribute the same version to the relevant teams. When a change occurs, communicate which rows changed rather than silently overwriting the document. The technical rider may contain the input list, but a rider sent earlier is not proof that the latest lineup has been incorporated. Assign one person to reconcile conflicting versions.

A band preparing for an Abu Dhabi event sends a list with drums, bass, guitar, two keyboards and three vocals. During advance discussion, the engineer learns that one keyboard uses mono output while the other needs stereo, and the singer also triggers a separate stereo playback device. The original shorthand underestimated the required connections even though every performer had been mentioned.

1. Expand each actual output into its own row, marking left and right explicitly where stereo is required.
2. Confirm which instruments need DI boxes, which microphones are supplied locally and which devices arrive with the performers.
3. Map the final sources to console channels and named stage sockets while preserving a practical order for the operator.
4. Compare the list with the stage drawing, checking that cable lengths and local connection positions make sense.
5. Issue the revised document to the stage technician, front-of-house engineer and monitor operator, then use it as the source order for line check.

If the playback device is removed on the day, mark those rows unused rather than instantly renumbering every later channel. Whether gaps are retained or channels are reordered should be an agreed operational choice. The important point is that console labels, physical patch and written list remain aligned throughout setup and performance.

• Writing one row per musician hides sources such as stereo keyboards, multiple guitar feeds and separate playback outputs.
• Using left and right without a viewpoint creates confusion. State whether positions are described from the performer's perspective.
• Copying a previous event's list without checking the lineup preserves obsolete microphones, missing guests and wrong patch assumptions.
• Treating console channel numbers as stage socket numbers becomes unreliable when digital routing or multiple stage boxes are involved.
• Leaving additions in private messages prevents other technicians from seeing the actual agreed requirements.

Keep the list concise enough to use beside a console or stage rack. Put longer explanations in a clearly referenced note rather than making every cell a paragraph. Before distribution, check for duplicate channel numbers, incomplete stereo pairs, unnamed spare inputs and references to equipment no longer being used. These simple editorial checks prevent avoidable technical uncertainty on site.