Stage Plot Maker
Create a stage plan. Use our stage plan builder to create the exact stage plot for your gig. After that all you need to do is send the provided URL to the engineer. SPG is a mobile, efficient, and customizable stage plot design program that gives production staff, musicians, and other behind-the-scenes technical staff, the ability to see at a glance, exactly how instrumentation, amps, lights, platforms, and other 'props' should be organized on stage.
Stage Plot Maker helps you build clear, readable stage plots to communicate your band’s technical requirements to a sound engineer. You can build a collection of stage plots for different kinds of gigs, then print or email them directly from your mobile device.
A tablet is recommended for building stage plots. Once you build a stage plot, you can copy it to your phone for quick access on the go.
Stage plots can include a diagram to show the placement of elements on stage; numbered input and output lists; a list of other required items like chairs and music stands; the name and photo of each performer; notes for the sound engineer; and your contact info.
The app includes graphics for the following items:
Band Stage Plot Maker
– Inputs: vocal mic, instrument mic, area mic, clip mic, kick drum mic, DI box, XLR input
– Outputs: wedge monitor, spot monitor, fill monitor, in-ear monitor, headphone amp
– Instruments: amp, cymbal, drum, kick drum, keyboard, grand piano, pedal steel, xylophone
– Other: stairs, riser, stool, chair, music stand, horn stand, guitar stand, guitar rack, power outlet, mixer, laptop, isolation panel, fan
This app does not include graphics for small instruments that performers carry with them onto the stage, only large instruments like keyboards and drums that require prior placement on stage. The app design assumes that graphics for smaller instruments clutter stage plots and are relatively unimportant to the sound engineers and stage techs who will use them. Instead of a graphic for these instruments, stage plots can include a graphic for the input they use (a mic or DI box) with a custom label like “trumpet mic” or “DI for acoustic guitar.”
If you do not agree with this approach to stage plot design, or if you want to make stage plots that look different from the examples shown in the screen shots and demo video, you should select a different app.
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Feel free to let us know what you are using in the comments below!
Online
By far the easiest solution is this free online tool called Stage Plot Designer:
Fill out artist, venue, date/time, and optional input list and notes, and drag and drop graphic elements to your heart’s content. Then click the Print button to generate a PDF.
Stage Plot Maker Download
Shortfall: you can’t seem to add notes to the graphic elements on the layout part; you have to put notes in a single dedicated scribble field at the bottom. However, this totally beats doing everything by hand in a free graphic editor or word processing software (MS Word, Google Docs, Open Office, etc.)
iOS
StagePlot Guru is the #1 most downloaded app by industry professionals. It features effortless and intuitive stage plot creation, customized graphics (equivalent to a video game), 100s of “props” included in the $4.99 pro-upgrade, ability to add lists, notes and contact info, and an ever-expanding prop library.
Stage Plot Maker for iPhone and iPad — $3.99
Napkin Sketch – $1.99 Do away with using overly complicated software to create a stage plot or resorting to drawing on a bar napkin. Napkin Sketch, the app, is your answer! To create a sketch, simply pick your stage size, drag and drop elements onto the sketch and when you’re done, either e-mail or save the sketch right to your camera roll!
Android
BandHelper: Set Lists and More – More for bands, but has ability to design stage plots and input lists
PC / Mac
No free ones here, but Stage Plot Pro seems to be the most regarded, most full-featured, and with the fanciest and broadest selection of elements: They have a graphic for everything you can think of, though many consider it 3D depictions of everything to be totally overkill and unnecessary detail (looks damn nice though 🙂
Cost is $39.99, but comes with a 30-day free trial.