How do YOU find band members?

[Jaketsnake94]

Hey everyone! I usually post in the recording section, but now i have a big problem.

I have recently formed a band with one of my closest friends who's also the best screamer I've heard in person. I play guitar, he screams, we have a great bassist and a great second guitarist. We're all extremely dedicated, but what we lack is a reliable GOOD drummer.

Pretty much we've gone through about 4 different drummers in the past month, all of which have flaws. We've encountered drummers with no kits, drummers with no way to contact them, and guitarists that own a kit (Just because you own a kit doesn't mean you play the drums).

What's the worst is that we have a completed EP, with big name guest vocals, just sitting here. We've decided that we're not moving on until we find a permanent drummer.

We've used facebook, asking around, friends of friends of friends, and craigslist. How do YOU find Band members?

 

[Rocabilly]

There is literally 1 drummer for ever 6,344,451 guitarists. Or a good one at least...

I've been trying for months now, got the rest of the band just like you!

 

[GatherTheArsenal]

Here's what works for me sometimes

- Some jam spaces that rent out on a monthly basis usually have boards where you can post "looking for etc." that's usually a winner. Post an ad on there.

- Metal shows are good too if you're out and about. Smoke pit always proves worthy for info to me, otherwise look for the guy in the crowd that looks like he's a got a severe case of "bad ass air drumming." Or the dude sitting down that is constantly doing double kick drums with his legs, that's a tell tale sign that's usually bang on.

- If all else fails nothing wrong with printing out a "Looking for, Take a number" paper ad and posting it at bus stops and anywhere else that's applicable. Or even handing them out to line ups at metal shows, that's how a lot of local bands promote their upcoming shows here and it works. Nothing flashy just black and white print will get'ir done.

 

[Mega-Mads]

Live in a big city. Be social. Get a big network.

 

[VBCheeseGrater]

I've had success on craigslist. Both bands i play in i found on craigslist, with a couple guys i know being added after getting the core intact.

Band 1. I was in another band looking for singer, a good singer answered my CL ad. He wanted to bring along his drummer. I told him no, did'nt want to screw over current drummer. So i went to jam with him and his drummer. Drummer was amazing, ended up creating a new band together, i ended up quitting other band, which i had been considering for awhile any way. So found drummer on CL indirectly

Band 2 - I answered a CL add for a bass player - pretty good drummer and Guitarist/singer. So we're a trio, doing well, getting gigs, sounding nice. I just had to agree to play bass which is fine, especially in a trio

keep trying on CL or other ads. Sure, there are some oblivious type folks on there, but also good reliable musicians can be found

 

[leechmasterargentina]

Jesus...be creative (and social). First, go to musical instrument shops and post a big appealing add. Use Facebook and post what you're looking in musicians groups of your city. Try to show some of your music, experience, equipment. A good drummer won't just show to any band that's looking for one.

Drummers are perhaps the hardest ones to find because maybe it's the most expensive gear, mostly in the metal genre, and it's hard to find one that plays decently.

I would advice you have patience, use every resource you have but mosltly, be open minded. Perhaps you won't find the exact drummer with the exact gear you want, but that could be a creative one which in fact could improve your record. By this I mean: Don't be Metallica passing on Les Claypool.

 

[Xenos0176]

yea i'd have to say (being a guitarist and a drummer) putting up an ad on CL, that usually works
i put up paper ads at my college where i'm attending and got some responses that way. GatherTheArsenal has probably the best ideas, although some of us aren't as noticeable in our air drumming, so u gotta be able to tell who's doing that and who just has restless legs

 

[GuitaristOfHell]

I'm lucky my drummer is the best drummer out there. He wins drumm offs all the time. Go to a decent size city and hold auditions. It's how Halestorm got their lead guitarist.

 

[sage]

Yeah, craigslist and friend networks are the best, flyers in music shops and stuff probably second best. Patience is a virtue. You're lucky you found four drummers to try out in a month for that type of music. I'm in Vancouver, I've got a drummer and an awesome space and I can't even get a guy a month to come and hang out to play bass or guitar or do vocals. It ain't easy.

 

[GatherTheArsenal]

I'm in Vancouver, I've got a drummer and an awesome space and I can't even get a guy a month to come and hang out to play bass or guitar or do vocals. It ain't easy.

True story.

 

[Jaketsnake94]

Update:
I've made some flyers to put around my college, i go to Wentworth institute of technology in Boston, the two guitar centers in Boston, and Berklee campus. The other guitarist is doing the same at his college (University of Rhode Island). Hopefully this helps us!

 

[Konfyouzd]

They literally found me... I just had some friends of friends stop by periodically. Sometimes I had a guitar in my hands. They liked what they heard and started coming over more... The end.

 

[Metaljesus]

Internet

 

[Ghost40]

Ive had my share of flakey people. Mostly the industry. I'm very lucky to have the drummer I do. My band's problem is finding a bass player. We've been through a few. Most recent guy was incredibly skilled, but knocked up his girlfriend and that was that. We use Facebook, craigslist. Tried bandmix, but thats pretty much a waste of time.

 

[m3l-mrq3z]

I know a great drummer. He is young and can play well. But he is in a shitty band and doesn't have time for a project. Damn.

 

[bigredmetfan]

I am over on Vancouver island and I am having a hard Time finding a singer and a bass player. Our bass player we had just quit becauuse he wants to play more extreme metal type stuff. It's tough out there, Espeacially when you have singers replying back to you that don't even own a mic or a PA......quit wasting my time damnit

 

[Orsinium]

Here is what worked for me, have a brother, make him play drums. Problem solved.

My problem is finding other guitarists that use 7 and or 8 strings and don't just chug, then again I live in the boonies so there isn't as high of a concentration of decent players.

 

[Andromalia]

I shoulda learned to play them drums ahwoooo awhooooo

 

[no_dice]

Here is what worked for me, have a brother, make him play drums. Problem solved.

My problem is finding other guitarists that use 7 and or 8 strings and don't just chug, then again I live in the boonies so there isn't as high of a concentration of decent players.

Haha, that worked for me for a while, but I quit playing in bands and my brother's new band got signed. I should have stayed on board.

 

[TonyFlyingSquirrel]

Go to gigs, network, it takes lots of time, time is an investment into something that will hopefully pay off later.
Don't expect immediate gratification. Invest in delayed, but better gratification.
We did that for a year after we fired our old drummer, spent 2 or 3 sessions with each drummer we auditioned before we settled on one that we all felt was into our music, invested into it, the band, and that we could hang together for hours on end and remain committed as friends and business partners.