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Set Yourself Up for Success: Band List Edition!

Whether you're hosting a showcase of instrumental acts, or gearing up an orchestra for a musical production, one of the most crucial (and often overlooked) factors for a successful show is how well your band is prepped. You sound engineer is your best friend when it comes to making sure your performance sounds as tight as it can - and one of the best ways to help them help you is to make sure you both have a clear and organised set up plan.


This month, we're here to give you a guide of the type of information that is essential for organising your band.


What Information do You Need?


1. Who and What?

Start by listing every member of the band by name (First name and Last Name initial is preferred) – and be specific about what each of them is playing.

For example:

  • Sophie – Violin

  • Troy - Keyboard

  • Liam – Standard Drum Kit, cowbell, mark tree

  • Riley – Flute, piccolo & clarinet

  • Alex – Electric guitar, acoustic guitar & banjo


Break down multi-instrumentalists clearly. If someone is covering multiple parts, make that known. This also includes:

  • Auxiliary percussion (e.g., mark trees, shakers, blocks, triangles, finger cymbals etc – all individual instruments need to be listed individually)

  • Doubling players (e.g., Flute/Piccolo, Guitar/Mandolin)

  • Pit singers (any vocalists not on stage need to be accounted for and appropriately assigned microphones - how many singers do you have and what sort of microphone set up do you want?)


2. Where?

This is about placement and position – both on a micro and macro scale.

Start with a mud map of the band layout (example below):

  • Who is sitting or standing where?

  • Where is your conductor going to be located?

  • What shape are you wanting your band to be in (if you are using a traditional pit, do they need to fit in a specific shape/space to accommodate your audience seating, etc)


If your setup includes a percussion section, please include a detailed percussion map. Show:

  • The position of each instrument in the setup from an overhead view to allow your sound engineer to pre-plan microphone placement (example below).


Then, outline where the band is located in the venue:

  • Are they on stage, in a traditional pit, under the stage, in a remote room etc?

  • Will they have visual contact with the conductor or MD?

  • Are there any walls, traps, or stage features that may block line of sight or sound?


3. How?

Detail how you want each band member to set themselves up. This includes instruments, amps, playback gear, and monitoring systems.

Start with the basics:

  • Are guitarists using amplifiers, or going direct through DIs?

  • Does the drum kit require a shield to avoid noise bleed?

  • Are keyboardists running mono or stereo outputs?

  • Are there any pedalboards, SFX boards or sampling pads?


Then move into show-critical software and playback devices:

  • Are keyboard players using MainStage, Ableton, or Kontakt?

  • Is anyone running QLab or Reaper for click tracks, SFX, or cues?

  • Will there be multiple laptops in the band setup? How many? Who operates them?

  • What are the output requirements for each device (e.g., stereo DI, multi-track feed, USB interface)?


Then you need to determine if you’re musicians or pit singers are wanting to use personal monitoring systems (like ME-1s)?

If so:

  • How many units are needed?

  • Will each player need their own individual mix, or are shared mixes (such as for pit singers) acceptable?

  • How many of your performers will be supplying their own headphones (usually for comfortability or out of preference)?


4. When?

This section is about timing and logistics.

Your engineer needs to know:

  • When is the band setting up? Will they load in during the main bump-in or at a later rehearsal?

  • Are there placeholders needed during early tech? If the band won’t be there until later in the process, do you need click tracks, a DI setup for a repetiteur's keyboard, or performance tracks to fill the gap?


Further than that, what are the band’s call times for each show or rehearsal? Knowing when they arrive allows time to tune, line check, soundcheck and resolve any tech issues before the performance begins.


5. Why?

So, why does all of this matter?


Information is everything when it comes to putting on a smooth, professional show. The more your sound engineer knows ahead of time, the fewer surprises there are during bump-in, tech, or show night. Clear communication means:

  • Efficient setups with minimal troubleshooting

  • Accurate input lists and patching before anyone arrives

  • Correct gear and mic choices the first time around

  • Happy musicians who can hear what they need

  • And most importantly, a clean, confident sound that supports the performance


Your engineer is juggling dozens of moving parts – instruments, playback systems, vocal mics, monitor mixes, track routing, and live balance – often all at once. When they receive a full, detailed band setup well in advance, it gives them the time and space to do their job properly: making sure everything sounds tight, musical, and consistent across every show.


Think of this information not as admin, but as a gift to your future self. A clear band plan keeps everyone calm, creative, and focused on the music – not chasing cables or solving problems under pressure.


Want More Tips? We hope this guide helps your understanding of what you need for a well organised and clearly laid out band list! If you have any questions or need further guidance, don’t hesitate to reach out. We’re here to make your events sound seamless!


Wishing you a Joyful June,

Loud and Clear Audio - Bringing Your Sound to Life!


 
 
 

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