How to Create a Patch List: The Complete Guide to Audio and DMX Patching

Anyone working in event technology knows the problem: dozens of cables, multicores, stage boxes, and channels need to be organized so that everyone on site – from the sound engineer at the console to the helper during load-in – immediately knows which cable goes where. A well-structured patch list is the central tool for exactly this. In this guide, we'll explain what a patch list is, how to build one properly, which mistakes to avoid, and how the free Cable Patch Manager from Stagetixx helps you create a clear, error-free patch list in just a few minutes.

What Is a Patch List and Why Do You Need One?

A patch list documents which signal runs over which channel of a multicore or stage box, and where it ends up on the other end – usually at the mixing console or lighting controller. For an audio patch list, that means concretely: channel 1 of the multicore is the vocal mic, channel 2 is the kick drum, channel 3 is the snare, and so on. For a DMX patch list, you're documenting which light fixture gets which start address within a DMX universe.

Without a clear patch list, every load-in and load-out relies on memory or shouted communication between the stage and the console – a method that might still work for small shows with familiar crew, but quickly leads to mix-ups, lost time, and in the worst case, failures during the actual show for larger productions with rotating personnel.

The Components of a Complete Patch List

Channel number. Every entry starts with the number of the physical channel on the multicore, stage box, or directly at the console.

Source or instrument. What's being carried over this channel – which microphone, which DI box, which instrument?

Microphone or device type. For audio channels, it's worth noting the exact microphone model used, so if something fails, it's immediately clear which replacement is needed.

Stage position. Where exactly is the source located? This links the patch list directly to the stage plot and speeds up troubleshooting when a channel isn't producing sound.

Destination channel at the console or lighting controller. Especially when the physical channel numbering on the multicore doesn't line up one-to-one with the channel numbering at the console, this mapping needs to be explicitly documented.

Special notes. Is phantom power required, are there special filter settings, or any other technical quirks that need attention? This information belongs in the list too, so nothing gets forgotten.

The Difference Between Audio Patch Lists and DMX Patch Lists

Audio patch lists deal with signal routing from microphones and instruments to the mixing console. The number of channels needed is typically limited (usually between 8 and 48 channels, depending on production size) and the assignment stays fairly static throughout the evening.

DMX patch lists for lighting control work a bit differently: here you're working with DMX universes, each covering 512 addresses. Every light fixture needs a certain number of consecutive addresses, depending on its functions (dimmer, color, pan, tilt, gobo, etc.). A good DMX patch list shows which fixture has which start address in which universe, so that if something malfunctions, it's immediately clear which fixture is affected and how it's addressed.

Common Mistakes When Building Patch Lists

No consistent numbering logic. If the channel numbers on the multicore don't follow a logical order relative to stage position (for example, left to right, or grouped by instrument type), troubleshooting a failure becomes unnecessarily complicated.

Handwritten, illegible lists. Especially under time pressure during load-in, patch lists often get scribbled hastily on paper – which under poor lighting or stress quickly leads to misreadings.

Not planning for spare channels. If an extra microphone is suddenly needed at short notice (say, for a spontaneous guest appearance), the patch list should already include one or two spare channels rather than restructuring the whole list on show day.

No version shared with everyone involved. If only the lead engineer knows the current patch list while the load-in crew is working from an outdated version, errors show up during soundcheck – exactly when time is tightest.

Building a Patch List with the Cable Patch Manager

The Cable Patch Manager from Stagetixx was built exactly for these challenges. You set up your channels, assign sources, microphone types, and stage positions, and the tool automatically calculates how many channels of your multicore or stage box are already used and how many remain free. This prevents you from accidentally planning more channels than your hardware actually supports.

Since all data is stored locally in your browser, you can keep editing your patch list anytime without ever needing to sign up anywhere, and export it at the end as a clear document to hand off to your crew, the organizer, or the on-site engineer.

Practical Example: Patch List for a Five-Piece Band Show

Picture a band with drums, bass, two guitars, and vocals. A typical patch list might be structured as follows: channels 1 through 6 are assigned to the drum kit (kick, snare top, snare bottom, hi-hat, two overheads for cymbals), channel 7 is the bassist's DI box, channels 8 and 9 are the two guitars, each via DI box or amp mic, channel 10 is the lead vocal mic, and channels 11 and 12 are backing vocal mics for the guitarists. That leaves 12 out of, say, 24 available channels on a multicore in use, still leaving enough spare capacity for last-minute changes or additional room mics.

This structure gets built step by step in the Cable Patch Manager, with the tool automatically showing how many channels remain free and flagging any overlaps or duplicate assignments.

Patch Lists for DMX Lighting Rigs

For a lighting rig with, say, six moving heads that each need 16 DMX channels (for pan, tilt, dimmer, color mixing, gobo wheel, etc.), plus twelve additional PAR fixtures with four channels each for RGBW color mixing, your patch list would document which fixture gets which start address. Moving head 1 might start at address 1, moving head 2 at address 17, and so on, while the PAR fixtures follow in a second block starting at a higher address. This systematic assignment prevents address conflicts, where two fixtures accidentally share the same channels and end up responding incorrectly to each other's commands.

Tips for Working with Unfamiliar Venues and Rental Companies

When playing at an unfamiliar venue or using gear from a rental company, it's especially important to coordinate your patch list with the on-site engineer in advance. Ask about the available channel capacity at the console and stage box, and adjust your plan accordingly, rather than discovering on show day that the venue has fewer channels available than you planned for.

Frequently Asked Questions

Conclusion

A clean patch list is one of the most unassuming yet most important tools in event technology. It saves time during load-in, prevents mix-ups during the show, and helps unfamiliar crew get oriented quickly. With the free Cable Patch Manager from Stagetixx, you can build a structured, automatically calculated patch list in no time and export it directly to share with your team – no signup, no extra software required.

Explore all free mini-tools and read our DMX basics guide.