Why Packing Right Matters

Under-packing means a dead battery or a missing cable can stall your set before it starts. Over-packing means more trips through a crowded venue, a cluttered stage, and gear that never leaves its case. This checklist assumes a supported show at a small venue with a house PA (the venue’s own sound system and engineer), not a self-produced event.

Essentials by Role

Guitarist

  • Main guitar, tuned before you leave home
  • Backup guitar, or at least a spare set of strings
  • Amp (confirm first whether the venue supplies one)
  • Two instrument cables (the 1/4” kind), one spare
  • Clip-on or pedal tuner
  • Pedalboard with its power supply
  • Short patch cables for the board
  • Picks, strap, and capo

Bassist

  • Bass, tuned and ready
  • Two instrument cables, one spare
  • Amp or amp head (confirm first whether the venue supplies one)
  • Tuner
  • Strap and picks, if you use them
  • Spare strings
  • Fresh 9V battery if your bass has active electronics

Drummer

  • Snare drum
  • Kick pedal and hi-hat clutch (the clamp that holds the top hi-hat cymbal)
  • Cymbals in a padded bag
  • Sticks, at least 3 pairs
  • Drum key for tuning and hardware
  • Throne (drum stool)
  • Small rug to keep the kit from creeping
  • Full kit and hardware, only if the venue doesn’t provide a shared one

Keys

  • Keyboard and sturdy stand
  • Power adapter, tested before you leave
  • Sustain pedal
  • Two instrument cables, one spare
  • Stereo pair of cables if your keyboard has left and right outputs
  • Sheet music or a patch list, with a stand light if needed

Vocalist

  • Your own mic, if you prefer one (the venue will have house mics)
  • Mic clip, if you bring your own mic
  • Lyric sheets or a setlist copy
  • Water bottle
  • Throat lozenges or tea
  • In-ear monitors and cable, if you use them

Shared Gear

Agree on who brings what so you don’t end up with four power strips and no tape.

  • Power strips and extension cords, at least 2
  • Gaffer tape (strong, low-residue cloth tape for taping down cables)
  • Spare batteries (9V and AA)
  • DI boxes (a DI, or Direct Inject, box converts an instrument signal into one a mixer can use)
  • Spare instrument and XLR cables (the three-pin kind used for mics)
  • Printed setlists, one per person plus one for the engineer
  • Printed input list and stage plot (see below)
  • Earplugs
  • Marker and pen

An input list shows every source that needs to reach the PA, its mixer channel, and whether it uses a mic or DI. A stage plot is a simple drawing of where everyone stands. A house engineer who doesn’t know your band can use both to set up faster. A spreadsheet and a hand-drawn sketch are both fine.

Table of data. Via hub.yamaha.com

Diagram. Via hub.yamaha.com

What Most Venues Already Provide

Most small venues supply the following, but policies vary, so confirm ahead of time.

  • PA system and a sound engineer
  • Vocal mics, mic stands, and XLR cables
  • Stage monitors (the speakers that face you so you can hear yourself)
  • Basic stage power
  • Drum mics
  • Shared backline (stage amps and drums), if offered: confirm exactly what
  • Number of DI boxes available
  • Load-in time, soundcheck time, and set length
  • Parking or unloading area

What to Leave Home

For a supported show at a small venue, you rarely need these.

  • Your own PA speakers and mixer
  • Extra amps or large speaker cabinets
  • Full pedal collection (bring only what’s on tonight’s board)
  • Extra guitars beyond one backup
  • Mic stands for vocals, unless the venue says otherwise
  • Lighting rigs and fog machines
  • Studio or recording gear
  • Second drum kit or a full set of extra cymbals

Load-In Order

Plan to arrive early. It gives you time to test your gear and make sure all cables and connections work before things get busy.

  • First: input list and stage plot, handed to the engineer
  • Next: power strips, gaffer tape, cables, and DI boxes, so the stage is wired and powered before gear arrives
  • Then drums and bass, since the drummer needs time to settle in before mics go up
  • Then guitar amps and keyboard rigs
  • Then pedalboards, guitars, and small items
  • Last: personal items such as water and lyric sheets
  • Before you leave: sweep the stage for dropped picks, cables, and batteries

Sources

Title: Tools of the Trade: Seven Ways to Ensure a Smooth Sound Check Author: Steve La Cerra Publisher: Yamaha Music (hub.yamaha.com)