Keyboard is the Hardest Part to Find in a Band
When recruiting band members, which part gets the weakest response? Drummer shortage is often discussed, and bassist shortage is also serious. But from my personal experience of playing in bands for over 30 years, keyboardists are by far the hardest to find.
Interestingly, there are plenty of piano players in the world. People who learned as children, music school graduates, people who continue playing as a hobby. The number of piano learners in Japan is said to be in the millions.
Yet, the number of people who say "I want to play keyboard in a band" is surprisingly small. Post "keyboard recruitment" on a recruitment site, and weeks pass without a single application — I'm sure this isn't just my experience.
This article is the fourth installment in our part-by-part series, following vocal recruitment, drummer shortage, and bassist shortage. I'll write about why keyboardists are so hard to find and the concrete solutions I've discovered through experience.
The Reality of Keyboard Recruitment — Comparison with Other Parts
Based on my experience and recruitment site posting trends, let me compare the reality of keyboard recruitment with other parts.
| Indicator | Keyboard | Vocal | Guitar | Bass | Drums |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number of Recruitment Posts | Many | Many | Few | Many | Very Many |
| Number of Applications | Very Few | Quite Many | Very Many | Few | Few |
| Applications per Recruitment Post (Subjective) | 0–1 | 2–5 | 3–8 | 0–2 | 0–1 |
| Rate of Experienced Players | High (piano experience) | Mixed | High | Medium | Medium |
| Band Experience Rate | Very Low | Medium | High | Medium | High |
What I want you to notice in this table is the gap between "rate of experienced players" and "band experience rate". Keyboard has many instrument players, but very few with actual band experience. This is the fundamental challenge of keyboard recruitment.
Drums and bass suffer from "simply not having enough people." Vocals have "plenty of people, but they don't fit." Keyboard has "plenty of people who can play, but they won't come to the band" — understanding this difference is the first step to solving it.
Why Won't Keyboardists Join Bands? — Five Reasons
1. The Deep Gap Between Classical and Band Music
Most piano players come from classical backgrounds. They've spent years training to read notation precisely and play exactly as written. But what bands require is the opposite — you're given a chord chart and told "play it nicely."
For classical musicians, this "nicely" is terrifying. They don't know what or how to play. They can read chord names, but improvising and arranging to the rhythm is a completely different skill. This wall creates the contradiction of piano players who can play but won't join bands.
2. Unclear Position Within the Band
Guitar plays riffs, bass plays roots, drums keeps the rhythm — the roles are clear. But keyboard changes depending on the song. Some songs need pad atmosphere, others need piano solos, and some need organ riffs.
"What am I supposed to do?" is unclear, so inexperienced keyboardists lack the courage to join. This anxiety is particularly large for piano players with no band experience.
3. Equipment Transportation Issues
A guitar fits in one case on a train. Drums are usually set up permanently in studios. But keyboards are typically brought by the player. A 61-key synthesizer weighs around 10kg, and with stands and pedals, it becomes considerable luggage.
Without a car, getting to practice studios is difficult. This physical barrier is one reason people think "I'm interested but won't participate."
4. You Can Do It Alone
Piano is an instrument where you can play melody, chords, and bass lines all by yourself. Playing favorite songs while watching YouTube at home is satisfying enough. There's little sense of necessity to coordinate schedules and gather at a studio.
Guitarists and drummers often develop a strong desire to play in bands even when solo, but pianists get high satisfaction from solo performance. This is a major difference.
5. The Atmosphere That "a Band Works Without Keyboard"
A three-piece band of guitar, bass, and drums works fine. The common four-person lineup adds a vocalist, positioning keyboard as "nice to have, but not necessary."
Keyboardists pick up on this atmosphere and can't feel confident that "I'm truly needed." As touched on in the common traits of members who can't be found, joining a part that's "take it or leave it" requires courage.
How to Find a Keyboardist — Six Practical Methods
1. Say "Chord Playing is Fine" Right Away
The biggest wall preventing classical musicians from trying bands is "I don't know what to play." So at the recruitment stage, explicitly say "chord playing is enough," "simple backing is fine."
Actually, a band's keyboard works great with just chord playing. Simply playing pad tones with long notes adds depth to the band's sound. Asking for arranging skills or improvisation from the start will get no one.
2. Reach Out Where Classical Musicians Are
If there are no keyboardists on band recruitment sites, go where keyboardists exist. This requires a shift in thinking.
- Alumni of piano schools — School recitals or SNS communities
- Music school bulletin boards and SNS — Graduates often develop band interest later
- Choir and band alumni — Those with accompaniment experience are used to ensemble playing
- Church worship pianists — Those playing in band-format worship are comfortable with chord playing
What they have in common is "experience playing with others, not alone." Those with accompaniment and ensemble experience adapt to bands better than solo pianists.
3. Approach DTM and Synthesizer Enthusiasts
Among people doing DTM (desktop music production) at home, there's a layer skilled with MIDI keyboards. Those who love synthesizer sound design, those active as Vocaloid producers. They simply haven't considered "playing keyboard in a band," but they often show interest when asked.
DTMer SNS communities, synthesizer events, and music store DTM corners are contact points.
4. Attend Session Bars and Jam Sessions
Jam sessions always have keyboardists participating. Regular session keyboardists usually have strong chord progression skills and can often perform immediately even without band experience.
As mentioned in the article on how to perform at live houses, open mics and jam sessions are treasure troves of connections. Directly asking "would you be interested in a band?" is most reliable.
5. Say "Keyboard Has Featured Songs"
Show that keyboard isn't just a supporting element by highlighting songs where it's the star. Songs with impressive piano intros, songs with organ solos, songs with synth riffs as the core.
"This song can't happen without you" — this one phrase moves a keyboardist's heart.
6. Recruit on Membo
Membo lets you recruit members by specifying instrument parts. You can narrow down by keyboard/piano, so you can meet keyboardists interested in band participation. A strength is reaching foreign musicians. Multi-language support lets you connect with foreign-born pianists living in Japan.
Personal Story: What the Spreading Sound Curtain Taught Me
I can't play keyboard myself. I'm a guitarist. But throughout my band life, I've had several wonderful, precious keyboardist bandmates. And I still do.
One was a player named Niki. The name evokes Nicky Hopkins — that legendary pianist known for sessions with the Rolling Stones and Beatles. He was truly an incredible keyboard player. Delicate, powerful, someone who elevated the band's sound by several levels. He passed away young, but the time I spent making music with him is a treasure of my band life.
Another was a pianist who also sang beautifully. Singing while playing keyboard was just cool. He continues performing actively, and we stay in touch occasionally. There were several others. All met through bands, and those relationships continue.
Playing with them taught me something strongly: keyboardists generally have strong empathy.
Guitar and bass sound comfortable and fun largely because of the keyboard's spreading sound curtain or rolling piano phrases providing tremendous power. A sound that embraces the entire band. Such sound requires not just technique, but the ability to listen to other members, feel what they're playing, and empathically respond.
And that empathy shows in personality too. Every keyboardist I've met has been calm, skilled at reading the atmosphere, and guided band relationships positively.
Even now at 60, I want to meet more keyboardists. I want to experience again the joy of playing guitar wrapped in that "spreading sound curtain."
How to Write Keyboard Recruitment Posts That Resonate
As mentioned in a guide for beginners joining bands, recruitment post wording significantly changes response. Here are points that resonate with keyboardists.
Bad Example: Recruitment Posts Keyboardists Avoid
"Keyboard urgently needed! Seeking immediate impact. Composition/arrangement skills welcome. Can play synth, organ, and piano. Must bring own equipment. Saturday rehearsal mandatory every week."
This sets the bar too high and no one will apply.
Good Example: Recruitment Post That Moves Keyboardists
"We're a 4-piece band with guitar, bass, drums, and vocals. A keyboardist would really expand our song range, so we're looking for someone to play with us. Chord playing is totally fine, we're not asking for difficult phrases. We'd love anyone who loves piano even without band experience. Want to try making music together at a studio first? Rehearsals about twice monthly. If you don't have equipment, you can use the studio keyboard."
The four key points are:
- Explicitly state "chord playing is fine" — removes anxiety for inexperienced band members
- "With you, our songs will have more range" — creates a sense of being needed
- Address equipment proactively — "studio keyboard available" lowers the physical barrier
- Specify rehearsal frequency — "twice monthly" instead of "weekly" reduces the burden
Conclusion: Keyboard Sound Embraces the Band
Keyboard recruitment might be the hardest among all parts. Unlike drummers or bassists where "there simply aren't enough people," and unlike vocalists where "there are people, but they don't fit," keyboard's unique problem is "there are plenty who can play, but they won't come to bands."
That's why meeting them halfway is crucial. "Chord playing is fine," "no band experience needed," "we need your sound" — simply communicating these three things will change the situation.
From the keyboardists I've met, I've received something irreplaceable. The spreading sound curtain, rolling piano phrases, and the empathic power that embraces the band. Even at 60, playing guitar wrapped in that sound is the highest happiness.
Your band has such a keyboardist too. You just haven't met yet.
Why not start by recruiting a keyboardist on Membo? Sign up for free and find the member to add color to your band.
