Start with one show-specific packet and a clear revision
Use a show identifier, venue, local show date and packet revision/date. Keep a master setup separate from each venue variant so a local substitution does not silently change the next show. A filename such as “ShowA_VenueB_r03” is useful only if it opens the matching current packet.
Yamaha’s sound-check guidance recommends an input list describing actual sources and matching stage-plot identifiers, plus monitor requirements and a practical equipment checklist. Our message/checklist below organizes that information for an advance conversation. It is not a required universal rider or a contract.
List load-in, soundcheck and show times with their local date/time zone where needed. Distinguish proposed times from venue-confirmed times. Ask about access, stage constraints and technical availability through the venue’s actual production process. Do not assume a quiet email thread means a requirement has been accepted.
Worked advance: a monitor limitation is still an open decision
Suppose fictional Show A planned three monitor mixes, but Venue B has confirmed two. The group must agree a usable adaptation; deleting the third mix from a diagram does not prove everyone can perform with the new arrangement.
| Topic | Known fact | Unresolved question | Owner / evidence needed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Schedule | Load-in proposal 16:00 local | Is that time confirmed? | Venue reply; record date |
| Monitor capacity | Venue says two mixes available | Which performers share a mix? | Band decision and venue confirmation |
| Input patch | Packet lists actual sources | Does venue patch match this revision? | Engineer confirmation |
| Supply | Band brings named personal items | Who provides remaining DIs/stands/cables? | Explicit supplier agreement |
Keep the question open until the actual decision is recorded. When a reply resolves it, add the source/date and update the matching packet pages. If the change alters inputs or packing counts, recheck them rather than treating the email as the only source of truth.
Venue capacity and technical arrangements require appropriate production expertise. This guide does not specify electrical distribution, rigging, load limits or safe sound levels. Qualified venue personnel must resolve those matters; do not improvise a technical safety solution to make a checklist look complete.
An original message draft you can edit before sending
Subject: [Show / venue / local date] — advance packet [revision]
Hello [production contact],
Attached is [filename/revision] for [show]. Proposed schedule: load-in [time], soundcheck [time], show [time], all in [local zone/date]. Confirmed details: [list only actual confirmations].
Changes from our master: [specific agreed changes or “proposed, not confirmed”]. We bring [items]; please confirm responsibility for [unresolved supplied items].
Open decisions: [question, owner, requested response date]. Please confirm receipt of this revision and the technical decisions above. Our show contact is [appropriate contact]. Thank you.
Download the editable plain-text message template. It contains placeholders, is separate from PlotCue and is not sent automatically. Replace every bracketed field, check attachments and obtain any necessary approval before sending.
A requested response date is your coordination request, not a contractual deadline created by this article. Keep a received reply distinct from your outgoing draft. If a new revision replaces an old one, name both explicitly so the crew knows which packet to use.
Use PlotCue’s venue variant without mistaking readiness for approval
PlotCue’s current listing describes a master stage setup adapted to each venue, contacts/schedules, capacity limits, source-derived patch and packing lists, revision decisions, open questions and a multi-page PDF advance packet. An icon alone does not create an audio source or patch row.
The current listing says the first standard PDF export is free; Pro weekly/yearly subscriptions unlock unlimited saved plots, clean PDF exports and JSON backup tools. This supersedes older local documentation describing a lifetime product. Check current localized terms before purchase.
Advances stay on the device unless exported/shared, according to the listing. The separate message template is not an automatic email send, venue portal or receipt tracker. A completed readiness checklist reflects entered information; it cannot establish that the venue received, agreed or safely implemented it. Use the linked stage-plot/input-list guide to reconcile the underlying documents.
If the method fits your task, explore PlotCue’s listed features on an iPhone. Check current features and plans before downloading.
See PlotCue for iOSDownload the free worksheet
Use the CSV in Numbers, Excel or a spreadsheet editor. Four fictional coordination rows plus a blank row. No email sent, external approval, technical safety design or contractual deadline is asserted. Replace them with your own observations. The CSV is separate from the app and no email is required.
Questions answered
Is an advance email enough without the input list?
Give the venue the current technical packet it needs and keep identifiers consistent. The message summarizes decisions; it does not replace the source documents.
Does 100% readiness mean the venue approved the show?
No. Record actual receipt and decisions from the responsible people; a local checklist cannot establish external approval.
Will the downloaded message send an email?
No. It is a plain-text draft with placeholders for you to review. No recipient is contacted by downloading it.
Continue with PlotCue on iOS
Use the App Store listing to check compatibility, privacy information and current plan terms. A free download may offer paid features.
Download PlotCue for iOSSources and product details
- Yamaha: seven ways to ensure a smooth sound checkInput list, matching stage identifiers and equipment checklist; checked October 15, 2026. Message structure is original.
- PlotCue on the App StoreCurrent US App Store product description; checked October 15, 2026.
Editorial method: primary guidance, a current Apple listing, an original worked example and an independent critique. No search ranking, install or outcome result is claimed.