Tip
What venues actually need on a stage plot
Answer the questions FOH and monitors actually have before you arrive — without overcomplicating the document.
Read articleStage plots & input lists
Send the venue a stage plot they can actually use.
Plan your stage setup, organize your input list, and give venues the information they need for a smoother show, without complicated design software.
- Free to create and export
- No account required to start
- Built for small clubs to major label tours
How it works
Everything the venue needs, in one clean file.
Combine your stage plot and input list so you can plan faster and with confidence.
Lay out your stage
Drag and drop gear, people, and labels onto a customizable stage layout.
Build your input list
Add channels, mics, DIs, monitor mixes, and notes alongside your stage plot.
Inputs 1.Kick 9.Electric Guitar 2.Snare 10.Lead Vocal 3.Rack Tom 11.BGV 1 4.Floor Tom 12.BGV 2 5.Overhead L 13. 6.Overhead R 14. 7.Hi-Hats 15. 8.Bass Guitar 16. Send a one-page PDF
Export a clean, venue-ready PDF with your stage plot and input list on one page.
Why it exists
Built by a musician, for every musician
Stage Plot Designer makes it easy to create clear, professional stage plots without expensive or clunky software. Plan your stage setup, organize your input list, and give venues what they need before load-in.
I’m Garrett Hawkins, a professional musician who got tired of stage plot tools that didn’t work for me. After trying different options and seeing how other bands handled their plots, I wanted something simpler, faster, and more practical.
Most bands I know still advance shows with stage plots duct-taped together with Photoshop, screenshots, and clunky icons. I wanted to create a dedicated tool to map out the gear on stage, keep the input list attached to it, and send production something clear and easy to update whenever the artist’s setup changes.
Stage Plot Designer is built around real-world use, with a focus on making show prep faster, clearer, and less frustrating for musicians and production teams. Every preset, icon, and export option exists because a real gig needed it, not because a marketing page looked better with another bullet point.
Good to know
- Hundreds of gear icons — amps, drums, keys, mics, monitors, and more.
- Built for real show prep — stage layout, input list, notes, and export all stay together.
- Works in the browser on desktop and tablet — lay out a plot wherever you are.
- Free to start — create and export a stage plot without paying.
Output examples
What venues actually receive
Real exports from working shows: stage layout, input list, and monitor notes in a single PDF.
Country tour
Pedal steel, track rig, and IEM notes: the kind of advance a touring artist sends ahead of load-in.
Rock band
Five-member band with tracks, IEMs, and lead vocal wedges: stage layout and input list on one page.
Worship band
Full band with choir, tracks, and spoken word: inputs, monitors, and notes in a single PDF.
Pricing
Simple pricing for every stage
Free
$0
Create and export freely. No account required.
- Create stage plots
- Build input lists and technical notes
- Access all instruments and equipment
- Export PDF
- No stage plot saves
- Input lists up to 32 channels
- Access to 8 stage plot presets
- Export includes small watermark
- Build with stage grid lines
- Access future Pro features
Start Creating
No account required.
Starter
$19.99$9.99/ year
Save one plot and unlock all presets.
- Create stage plots
- Build input lists and technical notes
- Access all instruments and equipment
- Export PDF
- Save 1 stage plot
- Input lists up to 48 channels
- Access to 14 stage plot presets
- Export without watermark
- Build with stage grid lines
- Access future Starter features
Select Starter in app
Use code First50 at checkout · billed yearly
Best value
Pro
$29.99$14.99/ year
Unlimited saves and larger input lists.
- Create stage plots
- Build input lists and technical notes
- Access all instruments and equipment
- Export PDF
- Save unlimited stage plots
- Input lists up to 80 channels
- Access to 14 stage plot presets
- Export without watermark
- Build with stage grid lines
- Access future Pro features
Select Pro in app
Use code First50 at checkout · billed yearly
Cancel anytime in Manage billing · Secure checkout powered by Stripe
Blog
Guides, updates, and notes from the stage
Stage plot tips, product news, feature deep-dives, and insights from audio engineers.
Tutorial
How to advance a show before load-in
Send your plot early, keep it updated, and give production one clear package to work from.
Read article
Tutorial
Stage plots for touring bands: what to include and how to keep them useful
What to include on a touring stage plot, and how to keep it useful when rooms and setups change every night.
Read articleFAQ
Common questions about stage plots
Quick answers for musicians advancing shows and sending plots to venues.
Stage plots
A stage plot is a top-down diagram showing how a band or artist sets up on stage. It typically shows where musicians, drums, amps, microphones, monitors, keyboards, playback rigs, and other gear should go. Venues and production teams use it to prepare the stage before load-in and understand your setup before soundcheck.
A stage plot shows where everything goes on stage. An input list shows what needs to be connected to the audio system, including channel numbers, instruments, microphones, DIs, and other notes. Stage Plot Designer keeps both together so the venue can see the physical layout and channel requirements in the same document.
Not every club requires one, but a stage plot can make even a small show easier to advance. It gives the venue a clear picture of your setup before you arrive, especially if you have multiple musicians, amps, monitors, tracks, keyboards, or other equipment that needs to be placed and connected.
At minimum, send a current stage plot and input list along with any important notes about monitors, IEMs, playback, backline, or gear you expect the venue to provide. It is also helpful to confirm your load-in, soundcheck, and set times and give production a contact for any questions before the show.
Illustrator and PowerPoint can be used to draw a stage plot, but they are general-purpose design tools. Stage Plot Designer is built specifically for live music, with draggable stage gear, musician and equipment icons, presets, an integrated input list, and PDF export. You can build and update a plot without manually drawing or formatting every part of it.
Plans & accounts
Yes. You can use Stage Plot Designer for free to build a stage plot, create an input list, and export your work. Paid plans add features such as cloud saves and watermark-free exports.
Yes. Free users can export their stage plot and input list as a PDF. Free exports include the Stage Plot Designer watermark, while paid plans remove it.
No. You can open Stage Plot Designer and start building a stage plot without creating an account. An account is needed for features tied to saving and managing plots in the cloud.
Ready to lay out your next show?
Open the designer, drop your gear on stage, and export a clear plot the venue can actually use.