A DJ rider is a one-page document listing the gear, booth setup and hospitality you need to play a show. The tech part names your decks, mixer and monitors and what you bring yourself. The hospitality part covers drinks, guest list, travel and a hotel. Keep yours short and sized to the gigs you play.
Why a DJ rider matters
A clear rider heads off the two problems every DJ dreads: the wrong mixer, and no booth monitor. Promoters and venue techs read it before the night to check their gear, rent what's missing and plan changeovers. A promoter booking you for the first time also reads a clean one-pager as a sign you'll turn up ready.
Tech rider vs hospitality rider
| Tech rider | Hospitality rider | |
|---|---|---|
| Covers | Decks, mixer, monitors, booth layout, connections | Drinks, food, guest list, travel, hotel |
| Read by | Venue tech, sound engineer | Promoter |
| Flexible? | Some parts, with alternatives listed | Mostly, scaled to the gig |
Put both in one document, tech first.
What to include in the technical section
1. Decks
A typical club request:
- 2 to 4 Pioneer CDJ-3000s, with CDJ-2000NXS2s as the fallback.
- All players networked over Pro DJ Link, so track data shows across decks.
- Current firmware.
On vinyl, name the turntables (Technics SL-1210 MK2 or newer is the usual ask), say how many, and ask for fresh needles and slipmats. A deck on a wobbly table next to a sub feeds back, so ask for a solid surface or isolation feet.
2. Mixer
Give a first choice and a fallback:
- First choice: Pioneer DJM-A9 or DJM-V10.
- Accepted: DJM-900NXS2.
If you play rotary, name the model, for example an Allen & Heath Xone:92. Note any channels you need free for a laptop or external effects.
3. Booth monitors
Bad monitoring is the complaint DJs make most about booths. Ask for two monitors, one each side of the decks, at ear height and pointed at you, on the mixer's booth output and loud enough to hear over a full room at 2am.
4. Laptop and controller setups
For a laptop or controller set, list:
- Your software: Rekordbox, Serato, Traktor or Ableton.
- Table space for the laptop and controller.
- Mains power at the booth.
- Free mixer channels, plus any cables or audio interface you need the venue to supply.
5. Booth layout
Ask for a stable table at a comfortable height, room for two DJs during the changeover, a light over the decks, and somewhere for your bag away from drinks. Plenty of DJs add a no-drinks-on-the-gear line, for good reason.
6. What you bring
List what's in your bag, so the venue knows what to skip:
- Two USB sticks, one as backup.
- Headphones.
- Records, if you play vinyl.
- Laptop, controller or effects unit, if you use them.
7. Changeover
USB on CDJs takes two to five minutes. A laptop plus outboard gear takes 15 minutes or more, and you'll want a short line check before doors.
Sample DJ tech rider
Copy this and swap in your details. DJ Fen is an invented name.
DJ Fen, technical rider (updated October 2026)
Contact: [name], [phone], [email]
Decks: 3 x Pioneer CDJ-3000 (alternative: CDJ-2000NXS2), linked by network cable, latest firmware.
Mixer: Pioneer DJM-A9 (alternative: DJM-V10 or DJM-900NXS2).
Monitors: 2 booth monitors at head height, one each side, controlled from the mixer's booth output.
Booth: stable table, light over decks, room for bag, no drinks on equipment.
I bring: 2 x USB, headphones.
Changeover: 5 minutes. No line check needed.
What to include in the hospitality section
Scale hospitality to the gig. A local bar set needs three or four lines. A headline slot with flights needs the full list.
| Item | Local club gig | Travel or headline gig |
|---|---|---|
| Drinks | Drink tickets or a few drinks | Water and drinks in the booth |
| Guest list | +2 to +4 | +4 to +10 |
| Food | Optional | A meal before the set |
| Travel | Self-funded or taxi home | Flights or train, with a pickup |
| Accommodation | None | Hotel room near the venue |
| Payment | On the night or by invoice | Deposit plus balance, agreed in writing |
Your fee and full payment terms go in the booking agreement. Keep the rider for gear and hospitality.
How to write a rider promoters will read
- One page. Two at most if you tour.
- Short lines, no paragraphs.
- A fallback for every piece of gear.
- Date and contact details at the top.
- Saved as a PDF called "[DJ name] rider 2026.pdf".
Skip demands a small venue won't meet. Asking a 100-capacity bar for four CDJ-3000s and a rotary mixer tells the promoter you haven't thought about their night. Keep a short version for small rooms and a full one for clubs and festivals.
When to send your DJ rider
Send the rider once the booking is confirmed. Send it again to the venue tech a week before the show, and get the gear confirmed in writing. If the venue lacks your first-choice mixer, agree a fallback during the week instead of finding out at 1am.
Put a one-line version on your EPK too, like "Plays on CDJ-3000s and a DJM-A9". Bookers check it before replying to a pitch. For the rest of the booking process, read how to get booked as a DJ. Bands want the tech rider and stage plot guide instead.
Keep your rider with your booking page
Artist Kit gives you a free EPK at artistkit.co/yourname with your bio, mixes, gigs, photos and booking contact. Add your setup line to the bio. On Pro, upload a custom press kit with your rider PDF next to your press photos. The EPK for DJs page shows the full layout.