Technical Rider

What Is a Technical Rider?

The technical rider explains all the physical gear the band requires to put on their concert. It focuses purely on the performance itself.

When a band agrees to play a show, they send this document to the venue. It is often called a tech rider for short.

The tech rider is often part of the band’s rider, which is a broader document about the band’s needs. The band and the venue must agree on these details before signing a performance contract.

What Is Inside a Technical Rider?

A tech rider is made up of a few different parts that help the venue crew do their jobs.

The first part is the stage plot. This is a simple drawing of the stage. It shows exactly where the drummer sits and where the singers will stand. It gives the crew a map to follow.

The second part is the input list. This is a numbered list for the sound engineer. It tells them what instruments plug into which sound channels on the mixing board.

The third part is the backline list. Backline is large equipment that is hard to travel with, like heavy drum sets or big bass cabinets. The tech rider tells the venue if they need to rent this heavy gear for the band to use.

Why Do Tech Riders Matter?

A technical rider saves a massive amount of time on the day of the show. Time is very precious on a tour.

If a venue gets the rider two weeks early, the crew can set up the stage before the band even arrives. They can plug in all the microphones and test the speakers. They can make sure everything works perfectly.

When the band finally walks through the door, everything is ready to go. They can start their soundcheck immediately. Without a tech rider, the crew has to wait for performers to arrive to start setup, which causes delays and mistakes.