Riders
Artist Rider Maker: How to Create a Professional Rider for Any Music Artist
Whether you're a DJ, band, vocalist, or producer, a professional rider is essential for smooth performances. Here's how to create one that venues and promoters take seriously.
By Sophie · · 12 min read
An artist rider is a contractual document that specifies exactly what an artist needs — technically and personally — to deliver their performance to the best of their ability. Every working musician and performer should have one. Yet most artists, particularly at emerging to mid-level stages, either don't have a rider or have one that's too vague to be useful.
This guide covers how to create a professional rider for any type of music artist — DJs, bands, vocalists, and producers performing live sets — with guidance on how to calibrate it appropriately for your career level.
The Two Components of Every Artist Rider
Component 1: The Technical Rider
The technical rider specifies all the equipment, setup, and technical infrastructure the artist needs. For a DJ, this is mainly about the deck and mixer setup. For a band, it includes the full backline, drum kit, microphones, and monitoring. For a live electronic performer, it might involve specific software requirements, MIDI setups, and audio interface specifications.
Component 2: The Hospitality Rider
The hospitality rider covers all personal requirements: dressing room conditions, drinks, food, travel, accommodation, guest list, and any other personal needs. This is often where riders become newsworthy — but for most artists at most career levels, hospitality requirements should be reasonable and proportional to the booking.
Technical Rider Requirements by Artist Type
DJs and Electronic Music Artists
- Pioneer CDJ-2000NXS2 or CDJ-3000 (specify preferred model)
- Pioneer DJM-900NXS2 or DJM-V10 mixer (or Allen & Heath equivalent if preferred)
- USB and Link cables for the CDJ setup
- Floor monitor specifications if required
- Laptop connectivity requirements if performing from computer
- Controller model if applicable (instead of CDJ setup)
Bands
- Stage plot document with instrument positions and dimensions (required — not optional)
- Drum kit specification: kit brand preference, sizes (kick drum, snare, toms, hi-hat), and whether cymbals are provided or brought
- Amplifier specifications for guitar and bass
- DI box requirements for keyboards, acoustic guitars, bass
- Microphone list by input channel (kick, snare, hi-hat, toms, guitar amp, bass amp, each vocal)
- Monitor mix specifications — how many monitor mixes, and which musicians need what
- IEM (in-ear monitor) requirements if any band member uses them
- Backline that must be provided vs. what the band brings themselves
Vocalists and Solo Artists
- Microphone preference: Shure SM58 (dynamic), Shure SM7B, Sennheiser e935, or other specific model
- Whether IEMs or floor monitors are preferred
- If performing with backing tracks: the playback system (laptop + interface, iPad, dedicated hardware), cable requirements, and who operates playback
- Number of audio channels from the playback system
- Any click track requirements for live musicians playing alongside
Hospitality Rider: The Art of Proportional Requests
The cardinal rule of hospitality riders: match your requests to your level and the scale of the booking. Here's a proportional guide:
| Requirement | Emerging Artist | Mid-Level Artist | Headliner |
|---|
| Dressing room | Shared OK | Private preferred | Private, with specific requirements |
| Drinks | 2-4 drinks | A small selection of specified drinks | Full drinks specification with brands |
| Food | Optional | A meal before the show | Meal with dietary specs, catering requirements |
| Guest list | 2–4 guests | 4–8 guests | 10+ guests with plus ones |
| Travel | Expenses only | Covered travel (specify class) | Business class, driver, specific requirements |
| Accommodation | Usually self-arranged | 3-star hotel | 4–5 star, specific room requirements |
Building Your Artist Rider with bass.fan
bass.fan's rider builder is structured around the information venues and promoters actually need. You fill in each section — DJ/band equipment, monitoring, hospitality, guest list, travel — and the platform generates a clean, professionally formatted document.
The key advantage of a bass.fan rider over a static PDF: it's live. When your setup changes — new equipment, different hospitality preferences, different guest list size — you update once in bass.fan, and every promoter who uses your rider link gets the current version automatically, without you resending anything.
Sending and Following Up on Your Rider
- Send your rider at confirmation of booking — not a week before the show
- Address it to the promoter and ask them to forward to the venue's technical team
- Follow up within 48 hours to confirm receipt
- Contact the venue's production team directly in the week before the show to confirm setup details
- Arrive early enough to soundcheck properly — a rider that specifies 30-minute soundcheck means 30 minutes before doors, not 10 minutes before your set
- After the show: note any issues with equipment or setup that should be reflected in future riders
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the difference between a technical rider and a hospitality rider?
A technical rider specifies equipment, stage setup, and audio/visual requirements needed to perform. A hospitality rider covers non-technical needs: travel arrangements, accommodation, meals, green room requirements, and guest list. They're often combined into a single document but serve different departments — production team vs. tour management.
Do I need a lawyer to write an artist rider?
No. A rider is a practical operational document, not a legal contract in itself — though it's often attached to the performance contract. You can write one yourself using a structured template. The important things are clarity and completeness. Ambiguous requirements lead to misunderstandings on show day. bass.fan provides a structured rider builder that guides you through all the standard sections.
How specific should my rider be?
Specific enough to be unambiguous, but not so granular that it's unworkable. Specify CDJ model numbers, mixer brand preferences, monitor placement. Don't specify which colour the green room walls should be. The goal is ensuring your technical and comfort needs are met — not demonstrating star power through ridiculous demands.
What do I do if a promoter ignores my rider?
Follow up directly before the show — don't assume it's been read. Send it again with the key technical requirements highlighted. If you arrive and critical equipment is wrong, stay calm and work with the production team on solutions before escalating. Keep records of what was agreed — your signed booking confirmation and rider are your reference points.
Can I have different riders for different types of shows?
Absolutely, and you should. A club night rider, a festival rider, and a corporate event rider will have different technical requirements and appropriate hospitality levels. On bass.fan, you can maintain multiple rider versions and share the appropriate one for each booking type.
Should my rider include my DJ setup if I bring my own equipment?
Yes — especially for the interface between your gear and the venue's system. If you bring your own controller, specify exactly how it connects (USB, XLR out, RCA out) and what you need from the booth (power, monitor feed). Don't assume the venue will figure it out on the night.
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