As a local musician in a heavy metal type rock band that is serious about making it in this industry, I know firsthand how important it is to have the right band members. It can waste a great deal of time weeding through people that are only in a band for reasons other than the music itself – for the status, or to meet the opposite sex, or for the money, and not solely the music. Finding local musicians who share your passion and love for the same type of music can be quite a search. But fortunately there are resources out there (mostly located on the Internet) which make it easier for musicians to connect. You don’t even have to leave your home to find others who are interested in being in a band and play the same kind of music you do. It is possible to connect with other musicians who want to just jam out for fun, and even find musicians to fill in on your tour or recording, if you are a more established band. The following resources make finding musicians like yourself so much easier.
MySpace www.myspace.com is a good resource and will no doubt lead you to many possibilities, but sometimes it can be difficult to pick out the serious-minded people from those that just want to portray the image. A serious musician will already have some kind of audio or video showcasing their talent, or at least a link to some of their work. You can try the “Classifieds” section of Myspace by clicking the link at the top right of the main page. There you can look for musicians there by your city who are also looking to start making music or be in a band. It’s as easy as a few clicks!
Beside the Internet, there are usually bulletin boards located inside some of your local music stores. If you see any possibilities, don’t be afraid to take a phone number and see if it leads you in the right direction. Take advantage of the boards and place your own advertisement stating what instrument you play, and be specific about your influences as well as what kind of band you are looking to join. Remember to put some kind of contact info so that you can be reached; in this day and age it could be a phone number, an email address, a website, or even a Myspace URL. Another good and proven resource is simply asking friends and family. The only downfall to trying out a family member of friend of the family is if they don’t end up making it into the band you will have to explain it to them and possibly members of your family as well.
When auditioning, or trying out, new musicians it is best to keep your options open; don’t commit yourself right away until you have explored all of your possible options. You might end up missing out on the perfect musician for your project if you don’t try all of your possibilities before committing to a band or musician. Being in a band is similar to being in a relationship – it takes all of the members equally putting forth their time and effort to make it work. There will be good time and there will be bad times, just make sure that you choose your band mates wisely and choose people that will be there with you through the good, the bad, and the unknown.
