How to make a technical rider
A clear technical rider keeps your show running smoothly and tells the local crew exactly what you need. Below you'll find what goes in it, how to build it, and how to make one in a few minutes.
What is a technical rider?
A technical rider (or "tech rider") is the document you send to the venue or festival ahead of the show. It tells the sound and lighting engineers how you're set up on stage, which channels you have, and what you need from the house. It often travels together with a hospitality rider (dressing room, catering, dietary needs) in one file.
A good rider prevents surprises on the day: less guesswork, a faster soundcheck, and a professional impression with the organisation.
What goes in a technical rider?
1. General info & contact
Band name, your tour manager / contact with email and phone, the size of the travelling party (band + crew), and optionally a guest-list count.
2. Stage plot
A top-down drawing of the stage: who stands where, with risers, monitors, DIs and power points. See also our guide on how to make a stage plot.
3. Input list (patch list)
A table with, per channel: number, source (kick, snare, bass, keys, vocals…), microphone or DI, 48V (phantom power), and stand. Keep it logically ordered, usually from drums to vocals. See how to make an input list.
4. Backline
State whether you bring your own backline or need something from the house (amps, drum kit, keyboard stands).
5. Monitoring, PA & lighting
How many monitor mixes, wedges or in-ears, your FOH console preference, and broad PA and lighting wishes. Keep it concrete but realistic.
6. Hospitality
Dressing room, towels, catering with dietary needs, drinks, and a possible buy-out. This part is often forgotten, but it makes the day much nicer for your band.
Common mistakes
- An old Word file that's out of date — update your rider every tour.
- No stage plot, or an unreadable one. A clear top-down view helps enormously.
- Being too demanding. Ask for what you really need; it reads better for the venue.
- Sending too late. Send your rider well before the show date (ideally a month).
Make your rider in minutes
With RoboRider you answer a few questions and automatically get a clean input list, stage plot and a professional PDF — free to try.
Start your rider →Using a free example
The easiest way is to start from an example and adapt it to your band. In RoboRider you click "Load example" and immediately see a fully filled-in rider you can tweak. Done? Export as PDF and send it to the venue.
Read next: How to make a stage plot, step by step · How to make an input list