What is the difference between a tech rider and a hospitality rider?

A tech rider covers technical and production needs — sound, lighting, stage, and power. A hospitality rider covers off-stage needs like dressing rooms, food, drinks, and parking. They are often sent together but serve different teams.

Does a tech rider include a stage plot?

Yes. The stage plot is almost always the first page of a tech rider, followed by the input list. Together they show where everything goes on stage and what plugs into each console channel.

What Is a Tech Rider?

Q: What is a tech rider?

A tech rider (technical rider) is a document that lists all the technical requirements a band needs to perform: PA and monitor requirements, a stage plot, an input list, backline, power, and stage logistics. Venues and promoters use it to set up the show correctly before the artist arrives.

Updated June 2026 · 8 min read

A tech rider — short for technical rider — is the document that tells a venue, festival, or promoter everything they need to put your show on. It covers the PA, monitors, stage layout, channel patching, backline, power, and crew. If the booking contract is the "what" and "when," the tech rider is the "how."

A clear, current tech rider is one of the most professional things a band can send ahead of a gig. It prevents day-of surprises, speeds up load-in, and tells the production team you know what you are doing. Here is what goes in one and how to build it.

What Goes in a Tech Rider?

A complete tech rider usually contains the following sections, roughly in this order:

Stage plot — A bird's-eye diagram of the stage. This is almost always the first page. Learn how to create a stage plot.
Input list — A numbered channel list of every mic, DI, and line. Learn how to create an input list.
Monitor requirements — How many mixes, wedges or in-ears, and who needs what.
PA and FOH — Minimum system spec, console preferences, and any required outboard.
Backline — Gear the venue must provide (amps, drum kit, keyboard stands) vs. gear you bring.
Power — Where you need AC drops on stage and any special circuits.
Lighting — Basic lighting needs or a reference to a separate lighting plot.
Crew and timing — Load-in time, soundcheck length, and crew contacts.

Tech Rider vs. Hospitality Rider

These two riders are often confused. They travel together but serve different teams:

Tech rider — Production and technical needs: sound, stage, power, lighting. Goes to the production manager and audio crew.
Hospitality rider — Off-stage needs: dressing rooms, catering, drinks, towels, parking. Goes to the venue's hospitality staff.

Keep them in separate sections so each team can find what it needs quickly.

Tip: Keep your tech rider short and scannable. A two-to-four page PDF that a stranger can read in five minutes beats a 20-page document nobody opens.

How to Build a Tech Rider

Start with the stage plot. Draw where every musician and piece of gear sits. This anchors everything else.
Build the matching input list. Number each channel and make sure channel numbers agree with the stage plot.
Write the monitor and PA section. State mix counts, wedge vs. in-ear, and any console must-haves.
Specify backline and power. Be explicit about what the venue provides and what you bring.
Add contacts and timing. Include your production contact, load-in time, and soundcheck needs.
Export to PDF and date it. Put a revision date on every page so nobody works from an old copy.

Common Tech Rider Mistakes

Outdated information — A rider from two tours ago causes more confusion than no rider. Date and update it.
Stage plot and input list that disagree — Channel numbers and positions must match across both.
Vague requirements — "Good monitors" tells the engineer nothing. Specify mixes and formats.
No contact info — The production team needs a name and number to reach you with questions.
One giant document — Separate technical and hospitality content clearly.

Build Your Tech Rider Documents

The Hive Mind offers free, browser-based tools for the two documents at the heart of every tech rider — a stage plot creator and an input list creator. Build both, export to PDF, and attach them to your rider.

Start with a Stage Plot →