Stage plot

The drawing translates an arrangement of people and instruments into a shared spatial reference. Label the audience edge and state the viewpoint clearly: stage left and stage right normally mean the performer's left and right while facing the audience. Include the act name, revision date and a contact who can confirm changes. A simple, legible plan is more useful than an attractive illustration whose labels disappear when printed.

Use numbered positions to connect the drawing to an input list. A keyboard drawn upstage right might correspond to two line inputs, a vocal microphone and a stereo monitor requirement, but the icon alone cannot communicate all of that. Keep detailed channel information in the accompanying tech rider and use matching names and numbers so the documents remain consistent.

• Mark performers, instruments, playback positions and any equipment that must stay within reach.
• Show wedges, sidefills or in-ear monitoring positions with clear mix labels.
• Identify power requirements and preferred connection locations without implying an approved electrical design.
• Separate equipment supplied by the act from equipment requested from production.

A useful plot moves decisions out of the busiest part of the day. Crew can prepare stands, allocate stage-box connections and estimate cable paths before cases are opened. The drawing also exposes conflicts: a drum riser may block a rear access route, or a vocal position may sit directly in front of an instrument amplifier. Those discoveries are easier to address during an advance call than during a short changeover.

It also helps artists describe what they actually need. A singer asking for a monitor somewhere nearby has not specified a useful working position. Showing the singing position, microphone orientation and wedge direction gives the engineer a starting point for intelligibility and feedback control. The plot remains a planning document, however, not a guarantee that every preference can be accommodated within the available stage dimensions.

Show approximate dimensions when spacing is important, particularly with risers, drum hardware, keyboard stands or a large pedalboard. State whether a measurement is an overall stage requirement or a preferred distance between positions. Avoid drawing every cable if that makes the page unreadable. A separate technical drawing can hold detailed infrastructure information while the performance plot remains quick to interpret.

For a practical document structure, the guide to writing a technical rider and stage plot can help connect the drawing with the information an engineer needs. Keep special requirements explicit rather than hiding them inside decorative symbols. If an artist brings a personal mixer or playback interface, name the connection point and the person responsible for operating it.

Consider an evening performance by a small band at an outdoor event in Abu Dhabi. The singer stands downstage centre, the drummer occupies the rear centre, and guitar and keyboard positions sit on opposite sides. Before load-in, the engineer receives a plot showing three wedge mixes and a stereo keyboard output. Production checks the available stage footprint and confirms which items the band will bring.

1. During the advance, match each performer position to the input list and confirm whether the keyboard output needs DI boxes.
2. At setup, place risers and large instruments first, preserving access for crew and performers.
3. Position microphones and monitors, then route cables away from walking paths using the site-approved protection method.
4. During line check and soundcheck, verify the actual positions and note any agreed changes on the current plot.

If the keyboard player changes sides to improve sightlines, the crew updates both the layout and the relevant patch notes. The change does not automatically require new channel numbers; consistent identification is usually more valuable than making the channel order resemble the physical drawing. The final version becomes a useful reference for the next performance rather than an abandoned attachment.

An old plot is a frequent source of avoidable work. A diagram that still shows a former band member can lead to unnecessary microphones, missing inputs elsewhere or wasted stage space. Another problem is treating a photograph as a substitute for a plan. Photos can explain a complex rig, but perspective often conceals distances, output connections and monitor orientation.

• Do not assume a wedge symbol tells the engineer whether several wedges share one mix.
• Avoid unexplained abbreviations or icons that depend on a specific software library.
• Do not list power only as a socket count when the connected equipment needs further electrical review.
• Keep optional requests distinct from essential requirements and confirm substitutions in advance.

A plot should not encourage unsafe cable routes or claim that a particular power arrangement is suitable without assessment. Site conditions, electrical provision and emergency access remain production responsibilities. Where the stage is shared, agree which equipment can stay in place and which items must move during the changeover.