How to find musicians for a band or recording project

Decide what kind of project this is

People use the same words for different arrangements, and mismatched expectations end more projects than bad playing. Decide which of these you are building:

• A band. A group with a name that writes, rehearses and plays together over time. You need commitment, chemistry and shared goals.
• A recording project. You write the songs and need players to perform them on a record. This is closer to hiring, with fees or credit.
• A one-off collaboration. A single song or feature. You need one skill for a short time.

Then list the roles. Do you need a drummer, a bassist, a guitarist, a keyboard player, a vocalist, horns or strings? Which are essential, and which are nice to have?

Where to look

• Online. On CollabWav you can post a request for a specific role, choose remote, local or either, and read replies with samples. It works well for recording projects and for finding people outside your city.
• Rehearsal spaces and music shops. Notice boards are still used, and staff often know who is looking.
• Open mics and local shows. Watch people play and talk to them. You learn more in one night than from a message.
• Schools and teachers. Music programs and private teachers know capable players who want to perform.
• Friends of friends. Ask the musicians you already know who they would recommend.

Write a request that gets the right replies

• The role you need and the instrument details (for example, "five-string bass" or "live drums, not programmed").
• The genre, a few reference artists and the kind of music you will play.
• Whether this is a band or a one-off, how often you will rehearse and where.
• A link to your music so people hear what they would play on.
• What is on offer: pay, a split, credit or exposure. Be honest if there is no money.

Audition fairly

1. Listen first. Ask for a sample or a video of them playing before you meet.
2. Use one of your songs. Send a demo and a simple chart a week early, so you see how they prepare.
3. Keep it short. One or two songs and some conversation is enough. Judge feel, timing and attitude as well as skill.
4. Meet in person or on video. You will spend many hours with this person. Make sure you get along.
5. Give an answer. Reply to everyone, including the people you do not choose.

Agree the basics early

A conversation at the start prevents most arguments later. Cover:

• Commitment: how often you rehearse, what happens if someone misses, and how you handle gigs.
• Writing and ownership: who writes songs, how a new song is credited and how it is split. See our guide to splitting songwriting royalties.
• Money: who pays for rehearsal space, recording and gear, and how any income is shared.
• The name: who owns it, and what happens to it if someone leaves.
• Exit: how someone leaves and what they take with them.

For a recording project: prepare the players

Send each musician a demo, a simple chart or lyric sheet, the key and tempo, and a deadline. Say exactly what files you want back. WAV stems, starting at the beginning of the song, make life easier for everyone, and our guide to preparing stems explains the format. If you also need someone to sing, see where to find singers, and if you need someone to shape the finished sound, a music producer.

Warning signs

• Someone who will not show you any playing before the first meeting.
• Constant lateness or no reply to messages in the first two weeks.
• Disagreement about the style or the plan that nobody wants to discuss.
• A person who wants ownership of the whole project but is putting in the least.

More guides

• Where to find singers for your original songs
• How to split songwriting royalties fairly
• How to prepare stems and demos for a mixing engineer
• All artist resources

This is general information for musicians, not legal or financial advice. For a contract that matters, ask a music lawyer.