The "We Just Can't Find a Drummer…" Problem
If you play in a band, you've heard this sentence dozens of times. I know I've said it dozens of times myself.
"We've almost got the whole band together, but we just can't find a drummer." "If you know any good drummers, send them my way." "If we just had a drummer, we could do a live show already." ——
Drummer shortage. This is a long-standing issue in Japan's band scene. But is it really only drummers who are in short supply? What about bassists? Vocalists? Keyboard players?
I've been playing in bands since my twenties, and I've met many different members at places like Kichijoji Mandala and Fussa's UZU. Since turning fifty, I've been applying to member recruitment sites left and right, experiencing many meetings and partings.
In this article, based on that experience, I'll write honestly about the reality of part-by-part member recruitment and what to do when you can't find members.
The Reality of Part-by-Part Member Recruitment
First, let's look at the real "supply-demand balance" for each part. This is based on my personal experience and observations of posting trends on major member recruitment sites.
| Part | Recruitment Posts | Applications | Supply-Demand Balance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Drums | Very High | Low | Critically Short |
| Bass | High | Somewhat Low | Chronically Short |
| Keyboard | High | Low | Short (especially in rock) |
| Vocals | High | High | Numbers exist, but "right fit" is rare |
| Guitar | Low | Very High | Surplus |
Everyone knows that there are too many guitarists. Looking at recruitment sites, guitar applicants are 2-3 times more than other parts. Meanwhile, drummer applications to drummer posts are about one-fifth, from what I can tell.
But what I want you to notice is that bass and keyboard are actually quite short too. Drummer shortage gets all the attention, but there are a lot of bassist recruitment posts with few applicants. As for keyboard, it's not unusual for a band to find themselves in a situation where "there simply aren't any candidates."
Why Are There So Few Drummers?
The reason for the drummer shortage is actually simple. The barrier to entry for learning drums is overwhelmingly higher than for other instruments.
1. Noise Problems
Guitar can be practiced acoustically without an amplifier. Bass can be played late at night with a headphone amp. Piano can be silent with an electric piano.
Drums? You hit them and they make noise. Lots of it. There is the option of an electronic drum kit, but the vibration from hitting pads travels downstairs, and the kick pedal vibration doesn't go away even with a soundproofing mat. In apartments and condos, drums are the instrument least suited to proper practice.
2. Cost and Space
Most people don't have the space to keep a drum set at home. To practice, you need to rent a studio every time. Even individual practice costs 500-1,000 yen per hour. If you go twice a week, that's 4,000-8,000 yen per month. With guitar, you can play for free at home every day.
The cost of the instrument itself isn't that different from guitar or bass, but the physical problems of "not being able to carry it" and "not having space for it" are significant.
3. Fewer Opportunities to Start
What instrument do most people pick up first in a middle school or high school light music club? Guitar, bass, keyboard. Drums are often a "whoever's left plays it" situation. In other words, the proportion of people who started drums because "no one else would" is higher than those who started because they liked drums. As a result, many people quit drums when their band breaks up.
4. Parts That Are Easy to Play Multiple Bands vs. Difficult
Skilled drummers are in high demand. It's not uncommon for them to be in multiple bands rather than just one. This is natural in itself, but it further reduces the number of "freelance drummers." Guitarists, on the other hand, are in oversupply, so many are committed to just one band.
It's Not Just Drummers — The Real Story of Other Shortage Parts
While drummer shortage is commonly discussed, other parts have serious issues too.
Bassist — Quietly and Constantly Short
Bass has an image of being an "unnoticed instrument." While it's true that bass is essential to a band, few people set out to become a bassist from the start. Most are guitarists who switched or people who started because "our band needs a bassist."
However, once someone discovers the appeal of bass, they tend to stick with it long-term. The problem is the hurdle of "taking the first step."
Keyboardist — Especially Serious in Rock and Pop Bands
There are plenty of piano players in Japan. But surprisingly few who want to play keyboard in a band. For classically trained musicians, the band studio is an unknown world. "No sheet music," "playing by chords," "improvising to match" — this scares them away.
In jazz and fusion, the keyboard player pool is relatively deep. Finding a keyboardist for rock or pop bands is where you struggle most.
Vocalist — Numbers Exist, But Finding the "Right" Person Is Rare
There are many vocalist applicants on recruitment sites. The problem is whether they're a good "fit." Voice quality, range, musical taste, personality — finding a vocalist where everything matches might actually be harder than finding a drummer.
As I wrote in Common traits of people who can't find band members, "expectations being too high" is the easiest trap to fall into when searching for a vocalist.
Guitarist — There Are Too Many, But Finding the "Right" One Is Different
Guitarists are definitely abundant. But "technically skilled but doesn't fit the band," "talented but no teamwork," "can only play distorted guitar." With so many applicants, mismatches are common with this instrument.
Part-by-Part: How to Find Members
Now for the real substance. Based on my experience, here's specifically "where" and "how" to efficiently find members for each part.
How to Find a Drummer
Go to session bars regularly. This is your best bet. Posting "drummer wanted" on recruitment sites won't get many applications. But session bars have quite a few drummers who want to join a band but won't actively search for themselves. Take your instrument to session bars in Kichijoji, Shimokitazawa, or Shibuya and play together. If you click, ask them, "Want to join our band?" This route has the highest success rate.
Target music school recitals. At drum school recitals and workshops, there are many "learning but no band experience" people. They dream of being in a band but lack the opportunity. When you approach them with "beginners welcome, want to try together?", you'll get surprisingly positive responses.
Reach out to DTM drummers. Recently, more "DTM drummers" are producing drums on computers. Their sense of rhythm is trained, and they understand song structure. They might downplay themselves saying "I can't play real drums," but put them behind an electronic drum kit and they're often surprisingly good. Keep your doors open.
How to Find a Bassist
Target guitarists switching to bass. The fact that guitarists are in oversupply is actually an opportunity. Propose to guitarists who applied but couldn't get in a band: "Want to try bass?" With a guitar foundation, switching to bass is relatively smooth. In fact, many great bassists started as guitarists.
Widen your doors with "beginners welcome." Conditions like "3+ years bass experience" or "can play original songs" just shrink your candidate pool. Writing "beginners welcome, let's grow together" doubles applications alone. With three months of serious practice, someone can reach the level to participate in band rehearsals.
How to Find a Vocalist
Reach out to singer-songwriters. People doing acoustic performances on the street or at open mics often secretly dream of being in a band. Being solo, their desire for band experience is strong. Go to open mics at live bars and approach vocalists you like with "Want to do a band?"
Ask friends who love karaoke. This sounds like a joke, but I'm serious. People who are good at karaoke have potential; they just haven't performed on stage. "Want to be our band's vocalist?" — this one phrase can change someone's life, and it actually does.
How to Find a Keyboardist
Convey the joy of bands to classical musicians. There are plenty of people who've played piano for 10+ years in Japan. It's important to show them "band music is this fun." Take them to a studio once and play some simple blues progressions together. That "thrill of playing with a band for the first time" resonates strongly with classically trained musicians.
Also reach out to synth and DTM people. People tinkering with synthesizers or DTM at home, even without band performance experience, have solid musical foundations. The pitch "instead of programming, want to try a live band?" works.
How to Find a Guitarist
Honestly, finding a guitarist is easiest. Post a recruitment and applications will come. The challenge is choosing a guitarist who's a good "fit." Picking purely on technique will backfire. "Can I spend 3 hours with this person in a studio?" — That feeling matters more.
As mentioned in Starting a Band This Spring, the new school/job season is prime time for member hunting. Beyond just guitarists, it's when many people feel like "starting something new" — timing the season is also an effective strategy.
Case Study: Searching 3 Months for a Drummer, Finding One at a Session Bar
This was a few years back. We had about 10 original songs written and the band was almost complete. Only drums were missing. I posted on member recruitment sites and reached out on SNS. In 3 months, I got just 2 applications. One person's musical direction didn't match at all. The other one never showed up to the first studio session.
I was half-giving up — "maybe we'll just do the live with drum machines" — when I happened to go to a session bar in Kichijoji. While nursing a drink at the counter listening to the session, an unknown drummer took the stage. Not "good" in that sense — the "feel" of the rhythm was on another level.
I approached him between sets. "That drumming was incredible. Actually, we're looking for a drummer for our band. Would you be interested?"
He thought for a moment and said, "Send me the demos and I'll think about it."
I sent him our demo the next day. Three days later, he replied: "Looks interesting. Let's hit the studio."
That first studio session was fantastic. The drummer I couldn't find in 3 months on recruitment sites appeared in one night at a session bar.
Two lessons here. Don't rely only on recruitment sites. And approach people who are making great music directly. Simple, but it's the most reliable way.
How to Write Recruitment Posts — Different Parts Respond to Different Angles
Member recruitment messages have different "hit points" depending on the part. Based on what I've tried over the years, here's what's worked best.
Tips for Drummer Recruitment Posts
- State clearly: "Studio fees split among all members." Drummers already pay studio fees for solo practice. Increasing expenses for band practice is painful. Giving them financial peace of mind matters.
- Write "songs are simple" and "we're not looking for complex techniques." The moment you write "top-tier technique required," 90% of drummers disappear. The posture "8-beat rock solid is enough" gets more applications.
- Specify practice frequency. Something like "twice a month, Saturday afternoons." Drummers juggling multiple bands need schedule visibility as their top priority.
Tips for Bassist Recruitment Posts
- "Beginners welcome" is magic. If bass population is low, you need to open the doors. Show that you value "desire to play together" over experience.
- Include audio samples or demos. Bassists want to imagine "what kind of lines would I be playing?" Audio helps lower the barrier to applying.
Tips for Vocalist Recruitment Posts
- Write genre and influenced artists specifically. Vocalists care most about "does this fit my voice?" Instead of just "rock," be specific like "Japanese rock influenced by Mr. Children to Bump of Chicken."
- Clearly state "no stage experience required." This one phrase gives courage to people who only have karaoke experience.
Tips for Keyboardist Recruitment Posts
- Write "chord playing is fine." Classically trained musicians fear "improvisation" and "ad-lib" most. Assure them that chord playing is enough at first.
- State that they don't need to bring their own keyboard. If you can use the studio's keyboard, specify that. Moving a heavy keyboard is a high barrier.
You can post recruitment on Membo and it gets translated into 8 languages. Just write in Japanese and reach foreign musicians living in Japan too. If drummers are in short supply, expanding your search area makes sense.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q. Is the drum population really that small?
According to Japan's Ministry of Internal Affairs' Social Life Basic Survey (2021), the instrumental performance population in Japan is about 11.4 million. While there's no exact drum population statistic, based on instrument manufacturer shipping data and music school enrollment ratios, the drum population is estimated at less than one-fifth of guitarists. Even looking at shelf space in music stores, drums get far less display than guitar and bass, so "small drum population" is backed by data, not just perception.
Q. Why are drummers in short supply?
Three main reasons. ①Can't practice at home (noise to neighbors is the biggest issue with acoustic drums), ②high startup costs (entry-level models cost 50,000-100,000 yen, adding stands and cymbals goes over 150,000 yen), ③hard to transport (without a car, you can barely bring anything but a snare to the studio). These three barriers reduce people starting drums.
Q. When I post drummer recruitment but get no applications, what should I do?
Try four approaches. ①Post 8-language recruitment on Membo to reach foreign drummers, ②regularly attend session bars to connect directly with drummers, ③post "no experience required · beginners welcome" to widen your net, ④ask guitarists or bassists "want to switch to drums?" For details, see Common traits of people unable to find band members and solutions.
Q. Which other parts besides drums are short-staffed?
Bass and keyboard are chronically short too. The Reality and Solutions for Bassist Shortage and Challenges and Solutions for Keyboardist Recruitment cover this in detail. For vocals, it's more a quality issue — "people exist but finding the right fit is hard" (Tips for Vocalist Recruitment).
Conclusion: Change Your Search Method, and You'll Find Someone
Drummer shortage is real. Bassist shortage and keyboardist shortage are real. But "it's impossible because they don't exist" — that's wrong.
Change how you search, and you'll always find someone.
Don't just post on recruitment sites and wait. Go to session bars. Check out music school recitals. Reach out to friends who do DTM. Ask guitarists "want to try bass?" Open your doors to foreign musicians too.
Just changing where and how you search changes everything.
I'm in my sixties now and I'm still searching for members. Nationality, gender, age — none of it matters. Music speaks across all of it. I want to keep doing sessions and bands my whole life, to my last day. To do that, I can't just complain about "shortage in this part" — I have to move myself.
I hope this article gives you some hint for your member search.
- Search for members on Membo — Part-specific search filters let you pinpoint drummers, bassists, and more
- Sign up free — Both posting and applying are free. 8-language support reaches foreign musicians too
- 5 Common Traits of People Unable to Find Band Members and Solutions — If you're having trouble finding members, maybe it's time to review your search approach
Good member meetings always come from unexpected places. Your next band mate might be sitting next to you in the studio right now.
