Documents & Sheets / Load-Out / Teardown & Equipment Security

Load-Out / Teardown & Equipment Security

Reference: LOAD-OUT-01. The moment gear comes off stage is exactly when it's most likely to walk off, get damaged in the rush, or go back in the case in the wrong state for next time. A planned teardown order fixes all three.

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See also the Power-Up / Power-Down Sequence Checklist for the electrical side of shutdown, and the existing Stock/Inventory List Calculator for tracking what's actually in the truck.

Power Down (Reverse Order)

Amps off first, then outboard/console, then sources — same reverse order as a standard power-down. Zero out the mixer before it goes anywhere: EQ and pan back to center/flat, gain/aux sends to zero, faders down to −∞, mute groups engaged. The next person to open that console (including future-you) shouldn't inherit tonight's settings.

Teardown Order

Plan the pack order before you start pulling cable — last thing packed should be first thing needed at the next load-in, and fragile/expensive gear shouldn't end up buried under everything else. Coil and label cables as they come down rather than in a separate pass later — it's the same amount of work either way, but doing it now means it's actually done. Do a sweep of the stage and FOH position specifically for small items — DI boxes, mic clips, in-ears, adaptors — before the big cases get wheeled out. These are what actually go missing.

Equipment Security

ID/mark your own gear clearly — engraving, asset tags, or distinctive tape — especially on any multi-provider gig where cases and cables from different companies end up mixed together backstage. Do a final headcount against your stock/inventory list before the truck door closes, not after you're already back at the shop and something's missing.

Source: Boyce, Teddy. Live Sound Reinforcement, §15.2–15.4 "Power Down," "System Teardown," "Equipment Security." Rewritten in Ryan's own words from the source material.