Do not wait with the rider until the day of the event

It is advisable to analyze the technical rider as quickly as possible after receiving it, as it may contain requirements affecting equipment, budget, stage, power supply, and the schedule of the entire event.

If the document reaches the technical company only a day before the concert, it may turn out that the band requires:

• a different console,
• an additional monitor world,
• a larger number of IEM systems,
• specific backline,
• additional microphones,
• risers,
• a larger stage,
• a different PA system.

Some of these problems can be solved with a substitute. Others require additional equipment or organizational changes that cannot be safely prepared at the last minute.

The rider should therefore be treated as an input document for concert planning, not as an instruction opened during setup.

If it is still unclear which requirements are critical, a helpful resource will be what a band's technical rider should include and how to prepare it.. 

Who should analyze the document?

The rider should primarily be analyzed by the technician or the company responsible for the concert's execution. The organizer should coordinate the process and ensure that the document has reached all the relevant people.

Depending on the production, the rider may require analysis by:

• the sound company,
• the FOH engineer,
• the monitor engineer,
• the system engineer,
• the stage manager,
• the stage supplier,
• the lighting company,
• the backline supplier.

Not every technical document pertains solely to audio.

The rider may simultaneously include requirements for:

• the PA system,
• monitoring,
• microphones,
• the stage,
• the structure,
• the backline,
• power,
• lighting,
• video.

Therefore, the organizer should not independently respond to the band that "everything will be fine" if the document has not yet been checked by the appropriate contractors.

The most important role of the organizer is to connect the right people and ensure that the technical response is confirmed by those who are actually preparing the system. 

How to check the completeness of the rider?

A complete rider should contain enough information for the local crew to prepare the concert without guessing basic requirements.

The organizer does not need to analyze every channel technically, but can quickly check if the document contains the basic elements:

• contact for the band's technical person,
• the date or version number,
• requirements for the PA,
• FOH,
• monitoring,
• input list,
• stage plan,
• microphones and DI boxes,
• backline,
• requirements for the stage,
• information about power.

Particularly important are the input list and stage plan before the concert. The input list shows the sources and audio channels, while the stage plan shows the physical arrangement of the band and equipment.

If the rider only contains the sentence "we need professional sound, monitors, and standard backline," it is not precise enough to prepare for an elaborate concert.

In such a situation, you need to request the missing documentation or contact the band's production manager.

Which requirements need to be verified with the technical company?

The technical company should primarily verify those elements of the rider that affect the actual configuration of the system, availability of equipment, and the number of people needed.

In the audio area, these will primarily be:

• system PA,
• console FOH,
• monitor console,
• number of channels,
• stage boxes,
• split,
• wedge,
• IEM,
• microphones,
• DI boxes,
• wireless systems,
• backline,
• technical communication.

The mere presence of the required PA brand does not yet indicate compliance with the rider. It must be checked whether the configuration will provide adequate coverage of the audience and the required level.

Similarly, the note "8 monitors" requires checking whether it refers to eight wedges, eight independent mixes, or a combination of floor monitors and IEM.

If the production is more elaborate, it is best to entrust the preparation of the concert sound system according to the band's technical rider to a company that will translate the document into a real system instead of treating it as a list of equipment for rent.

Send us the document – we will analyze the requirements and prepare the concert's technical setup.

What to convey to the venue or the owner of the stage?

The venue or the company responsible for the stage should receive this information from the rider, which pertains to the venue's infrastructure, setup capabilities, and logistics.

These may include:

• required stage dimensions,
• needed risers,
• hanging points,
• load capacities,
• access to power,
• space for FOH,
• space for monitor world,
• backline requirements,
• technical access.

If the PA is to be hung, the company responsible for the structure must know this in advance. It cannot be assumed that every stage roof automatically allows for hanging any configuration of the system.

Similarly, FOH needs real space in the audience. If the organizer sells all the seats or plans a bar at this point, the local crew may later have nowhere to set up the production position.

Some of the rider's requirements therefore directly affect the plan of the event, even before the conversation about the mix begins.

What is technical advance?

Technical advance is the process of agreeing on the details of the execution between the band and the local technical side before the concert.

The rider is the basis of the advance, but not its end.

During this process, the following are established, among other things:

• available PA system,
• mixing consoles,
• monitoring,
• microphones,
• backline,
• stage plan,
• patch,
• RF systems,
• schedule,
• soundcheck,
• changeover,
• possible substitutes.

It is best if a technically responsible person from the team participates in it – e.g. FOH engineer, monitor engineer, or production manager – rather than just a manager dealing with organizational matters.

For example, the rider may require a specific console that the local company does not have. Instead of automatically ordering it or choosing a substitute on your own, you can determine during the advance why this particular model is needed.

If the engineer brings their own show file, a specific platform may be a real requirement. If it is only listed as a preference, perhaps an equivalent solution can be applied.

Advance allows separating critical requirements from preferences and resolving differences before time pressure arises on the concert day.

How to report substitutes and deviations?

Any significant substitute should be reported to the technically responsible person on the team and accepted before the event.

It is best to communicate it specifically.

Instead of:

"we don't have those monitors, but we'll provide others"

it is better to convey:

"the model specified in the rider is not available; we propose model X in configuration Y. Is this solution acceptable?"

The same applies to:

• consoles,
• microphones,
• DI boxes,
• IEM systems,
• the backline,
• PA.

Not every change has the same significance.

The lack of a specific stand may be easy to resolve. Replacing the console on which the engineer has prepared the show file can completely change their workflow.

Therefore, the organizer should not evaluate substitutes solely based on price or the fact that the devices "do roughly the same thing."

Substitutes are approved functionally and technically, and not just commercially.

What to do if the rider is outdated or unclear?

An outdated or contradictory rider should not be interpreted on your own. You should ask the team to confirm the current version or clarify specific provisions.

Warning signs may include:

• different document dates,
• two different input lists,
• a different number of musicians on the stage plan,
• contradictory monitor requirements,
• discrepancy in the number of channels,
• devices no longer present in the current setup of the band.

If the organizer received several attachments, it is best to ask directly which document is the valid version.

One should not, however, independently piece together the "most logical" rider from several different files.

In case of unclear provisions, it is best to pass the question to the technical company to formulate it precisely for the team.

This way, instead of the question "what do you mean by monitors?" you can send a specific:

"Do you require six independent wedge mixes, or six physical monitors on four mixes?"

How to establish the schedule for setup and soundcheck?

The schedule should be prepared based on the actual technical scope, not just the concert start time.

It is necessary to consider:

• entry and unloading,
• PA setup,
• preparation of the stage,
• patch,
• system test,
• line check,
• soundcheck,
• possible rehearsals of other performers,
• audience entry.

Soundcheck is the actual sound check with the band, but the line check is used earlier to verify the correctness of connections and channels.

If the concert starts at 8:00 PM, it does not mean that the band can arrive at 7:00 PM and always manage to do a full rehearsal.

The more complex the setup, the more time is needed for preparation.

In the case of several bands, one must also consider changeovers and determine whether each performer has a separate soundcheck, line check or uses previously prepared shared infrastructure.

The entire process is described in more detail in the material why the sound check is important and what a professional soundcheck looks like.

How to prepare final arrangements before the concert day?

Before the concert day, all accepted changes should be gathered into one clear summary.

The biggest problem is the situation where:

• the rider says one thing,
• the later email says another,
• the phone conversation says a third,
• the local technician only received the first version of the document.

Final arrangements should include at least:

• the current version of the rider,
• approved substitutes,
• the final stage plan,
• the current input list,
• backline,
• system PA,
• FOH and monitoring,
• schedule,
• technical contacts.

It is not always necessary to create a new multi-page document. Often, a short summary of the advance with a list of accepted differences from the rider is sufficient.

It is important that it reaches:

• the organizer,
• the technical company,
• the technical person of the team,
• the stage manager, if they have a separate role.

On the day of the concert, everyone should work under the same assumptions.

Organizer's checklist

After receiving the rider, the organizer can go through a simple checklist:

• Pass the rider to the technical company.
• Check the date and version of the document.
• Make sure there is contact information for the technical person of the team.
• Check, if the rider includes the input list and stage plan.
• Pass the stage requirements to the venue owner or facility.
• Verify with the technical company PA, FOH, monitoring, microphones, RF, and backline.
• Gather items that are not available locally.
• Send alternative proposals for approval.
• Start the technical advance.
• Establish the time for setup, line check, and soundcheck.
• Confirm access to the venue, power supply, and logistics.
• Prepare one final version of the arrangements before the event.

This list does not replace technical analysis. However, it allows the organizer to control whether the entire process has actually been carried out.

For larger productions comprehensive concert technology allows to reduce the number of separate agreements, as one team can transfer the rider to the PA system, monitoring, stage, and other technical requirements.

Summary

After receiving the technical rider, the most important thing is to quickly pass it on to the appropriate team and start the arrangements. The organizer does not have to interpret the PA system, patch, or monitor configuration on their own, but should ensure that a technically responsible person does so.

The rider needs to be checked for completeness and accuracy, and the requirements regarding the stage, power supply, and infrastructure should also be communicated to the venue and technical suppliers. All differences and substitutions should be accepted during the advance.

The most important practical goal is to achieve a situation in which, before the concert day, there is one common version of the arrangements, known to the band, the organizer, and the local team. Then the rider truly simplifies the production instead of becoming a source of problems.

Frequently Asked Questions