WMA Backline Requirements
DOWNLOAD THE BACKLINE REQUIREMENTS TEMPLATE HERE: BACKLINE REQUIREMENTS TEMPLATE
The purpose of the WMA Backline Requirements resources is to help artists, touring personnel, venues, promoters, production teams, rental providers, event organizers, and independent entertainment professionals clearly communicate equipment requirements associated with live performances, tours, festivals, showcases, rehearsals, and public events.
This resource is not intended to function as a substitute for direct communication between artists and production personnel, nor is it presented as a rigid one-size-fits-all production specification. Instead, it is designed to serve as a practical and professional operational framework that may help reduce equipment confusion, setup delays, changeover problems, missing gear situations, technical misunderstandings, and preventable operational conflicts commonly encountered throughout live entertainment environments.
The downloadable templates and examples provided on this page are intended as customizable starting points. Users are encouraged to review, modify, expand, or simplify these materials as necessary to fit their particular touring situation, performance setup, production scale, or venue environment.
Within live production environments, the term “backline” generally refers to the musical equipment and performance hardware required on stage for the performance itself.
Backline requirements commonly include:
- Drum kits
- Drum hardware
- Guitar amplifiers
- Bass amplifiers
- Speaker cabinets
- Keyboard stands
- Keyboard rigs
- Percussion equipment
- DJ equipment
- Playback rigs
- Instrument stands
- Thrones and stools
- Power distribution
- Risers
- Specialty performance equipment
Backline requirements may also clarify:
- Which equipment is artist-supplied
- Which equipment is venue-supplied
- Which items are rental items
- Preferred brands or models
- Acceptable substitutions
- Shared festival equipment
- Changeover procedures
- Operational limitations
- Setup responsibilities
While many events proceed professionally without issue, problems become significantly more difficult to resolve when equipment expectations were never clearly communicated before arrival.
Many operational problems occur not because either party acted maliciously, but because assumptions were made regarding:
- Available equipment
- Amplifier models
- Drum hardware availability
- Shared festival backline
- Power compatibility
- Keyboard stand availability
- Equipment condition
- Changeover expectations
- Stage dimensions
- Rental coordination
- Staffing support
- Setup responsibilities
One party may believe:
- Full backline is included
- Shared festival equipment is available
- Standard hardware is automatically provided
- Rental coordination has already occurred
- Equipment substitutions are acceptable
- Setup assistance is available
Meanwhile, the other party may believe:
- Artists are fully self-contained
- Certain equipment is artist-provided
- Venue inventory limitations were understood
- Rental costs are separate
- Staffing limitations were obvious
- Equipment substitutions are acceptable unless specified otherwise
The core philosophy behind these resources is simple:
- If equipment matters operationally, it should be documented.
- If it is documented, it should be shared in advance.
- If it is shared in advance, expectations become easier to manage professionally.
Whenever possible:
- Backline requirements should be distributed well before event day.
- Equipment substitutions should be approved in advance whenever possible.
- Rental arrangements should be confirmed early.
- Touring personnel and production staff should review equipment availability together before arrival.
Backline requirement documents should clearly communicate:
- Exact equipment needs
- Preferred brands or models
- Acceptable substitutions
- Artist-supplied equipment
- Venue-supplied equipment
- Rental requirements
- Hardware requirements
- Shared equipment expectations
- Power requirements
- Changeover procedures
- Staffing needs
- Setup responsibilities
- Operational limitations
Likewise, venues and production teams should avoid assuming that artists automatically understand:
- Venue inventory limitations
- Rental availability
- Shared festival equipment policies
- Staffing limitations
- Stage size limitations
- Equipment substitutions
- Operational restrictions
Artists and touring personnel should likewise avoid assuming that venues automatically understand:
- Touring rig dependencies
- Model-specific preferences
- Playback dependencies
- Hardware compatibility
- Setup workflows
- Instrument change requirements
- Touring operational priorities
It is also important to understand that backline requirement documents do not automatically replace:
- Tech riders
- Stage plots
- Input lists
- Performance agreements
- Hospitality riders
- Rental agreements
- Additional operational documents
unless specifically incorporated into those agreements.
If disagreements later arise regarding equipment availability, rental responsibilities, substitutions, staffing support, operational limitations, setup procedures, or performance preparation, documented backline requirements may provide important clarification regarding what was originally discussed and requested.
The WMA Backline Requirements resources are intended to encourage:
- Clear communication
- Professional preparation
- Organized production coordination
- Mutual operational understanding
- Respectful working relationships
- Better touring preparation
- Stronger production standards throughout live entertainment environments
Professional live production is heavily dependent upon preparation and coordination long before artists arrive at the venue. Clear backline communication may significantly reduce preventable operational problems, improve changeover efficiency, and create smoother event-day workflows for everyone involved.
The long-term goal is not to create unnecessary bureaucracy within live entertainment environments. The goal is to encourage clearer expectations, stronger professionalism, smoother production coordination, and healthier working relationships between artists, venues, engineers, promoters, organizers, rental providers, and touring personnel alike.