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Musicians Overview

Bringing On A New Musician

When you’re adding a musician to an existing band, you’re not just hiring someone who can play an instrument—you’re bringing someone into a working creative partnership. The biggest problems usually come from expectations, commitment, personality, money, and ownership, rather than musical ability.

Questions to Ask a Prospective Musician

1. Musical ability and experience

  • What instruments do you play, and what is your primary instrument?
  • How long have you been playing?
  • What bands or artists have you performed with?
  • Can you provide recordings or videos of your playing?
  • Are you comfortable playing our existing material?
  • Can you learn new songs on your own before rehearsal?
  • Can you improvise or contribute creatively to arrangements?
  • What styles of music are you most comfortable playing?
  • Are there styles you don’t want to play?
  • Are you comfortable performing in front of large audiences?

Important: Have them actually audition. A conversation and a few videos aren’t enough.

2. Availability and commitment

This is one of the most important areas to address.

Ask:

  • How many nights per month are you realistically available?
  • Do you have another band?
  • Are you currently auditioning for other bands?
  • Do you have a full-time job or other commitments that could interfere with gigs?
  • How much advance notice do you need for a performance?
  • Are weekends generally available?
  • Are you willing to travel?
  • How far are you willing to travel for rehearsals and performances?
  • Are you willing to play late-night shows?
  • How do you handle last-minute opportunities?
  • What would cause you to leave a band?

Don’t accept vague answers such as “I’ll make it work.” Get specific.

3. Financial expectations

Talk about money before the first gig.

Ask:

  • What are your expectations regarding compensation?
  • Are you looking for a guaranteed amount per show or a percentage of the band’s earnings?
  • How should rehearsal expenses be handled?
  • Who pays for transportation, lodging, meals and other travel expenses?
  • How are merchandise revenues divided?
  • How are tips handled?
  • If the band gets a large-paying gig, how is the money distributed?
  • Are there expenses that you expect the band to reimburse?

If the band isn’t currently making money, be very clear about that.

For example:

“At this point, this is an opportunity to build the band. There is no guaranteed income, and compensation will be based on the money the band actually receives.”

4. Creative expectations

This can become a major source of conflict.

Ask:

  • How much creative input do you expect to have?
  • Are you interested in writing songs?
  • Do you expect songwriting credit for material you contribute to?
  • Are you comfortable playing arrangements that someone else has created?
  • How do you feel about changing arrangements?
  • How do you handle creative disagreements?
  • Are you comfortable with the band’s existing musical direction?
  • What are your musical goals for the next year?

If you’re an original band, this section becomes especially important because songwriting, publishing and ownership can become significant issues.

5. Personality and working style

You’re going to spend a lot of time together.

Ask questions such as:

  • What do you expect from your bandmates?
  • What makes a good band member?
  • How do you handle disagreements?
  • How do you respond to criticism?
  • What do you expect from a band leader?
  • How do you prefer decisions to be made?
  • How do you feel about rehearsing material repeatedly until it’s tight?
  • How do you handle mistakes during a performance?

And pay attention to how they talk about former bandmates.

If every previous band was supposedly filled with idiots, unreliable people or difficult personalities, that’s worth noticing.

Issues You Should Discuss Before Bringing Them Into the Band

1. Define exactly what their role is

Don’t simply say:

“You’re in the band.”

Define the position.

For example:

Lead guitar — responsible for learning the band’s current repertoire, attending scheduled rehearsals and performances, contributing to arrangements when requested, maintaining their own equipment, and representing the band professionally.

This eliminates a lot of misunderstandings.

2. Establish attendance expectations

I’d strongly recommend having a simple rule such as:

  • Rehearsals are mandatory unless previously excused.
  • Gigs take priority once the musician has accepted them.
  • A musician should provide as much notice as possible when unavailable.
  • Repeated cancellations can result in the position being reconsidered.

Don’t wait until someone misses three rehearsals to establish the rules.

3. Discuss the “substitute musician” issue

This is frequently overlooked.

Ask:

“If you’re unavailable for a gig, are you responsible for helping us find a qualified substitute?”

Decide whether the band, the absent musician, or the bandleader handles finding a replacement.

4. Establish who makes decisions

This is particularly important if you’re the band’s founder or leader.

Determine:

  • Who chooses songs?
  • Who books shows?
  • Who negotiates contracts?
  • Who controls the band’s social media?
  • Who controls the website?
  • Who handles the band’s finances?
  • Who decides whether the band accepts a gig?
  • Who decides when a member is removed?
  • Does every member get an equal vote?

Don’t assume everyone has the same understanding.

Equipment and Professionalism

Ask what equipment they own and what they are responsible for providing.

For example:

  • Instrument
  • Amplifier
  • Pedalboard/effects
  • Microphone
  • Cables
  • Stands
  • Backup equipment
  • In-ear monitors
  • Transportation

Also establish expectations regarding:

  • Being on time
  • Being sober and professional at performances
  • Appropriate stage behavior
  • Clothing/stage appearance
  • Social media behavior
  • Interacting with promoters, venues and audiences

A great musician who is consistently late can be a much bigger problem than an average musician who is dependable.

Ownership and Intellectual Property

This becomes very important if you’re an original band.

Before anyone contributes substantially to new material, clarify:

  • Who owns existing songs?
  • Who owns new songs?
  • How is songwriting credit determined?
  • How are publishing royalties divided?
  • Who owns the band’s name?
  • Who owns recordings?
  • Who owns the band’s website and social-media accounts?
  • Who owns photographs, artwork and promotional materials?
  • What happens if a member leaves?
  • Can a departing member continue performing songs they helped create?
  • Can they use the band’s name or imply that they are still a member?

Don’t rely on a verbal understanding for these issues.

A written band agreement is worth considering, particularly once money, recordings, publishing or significant bookings are involved.

Do a Trial Period

One of the best things you can do is not make the relationship permanent immediately.

Consider something like:

30–90 day trial period

During that period, evaluate:

  • Musical ability
  • Attendance
  • Preparation
  • Reliability
  • Personality
  • Ability to work with the other members
  • Stage presence
  • Professionalism
  • Commitment
  • Compatibility with the band’s direction

At the end of the trial period, everyone can decide whether the arrangement is working.

This also gives the musician an opportunity to determine whether your band is right for them.

Red Flags to Watch For

I’d pay particular attention to someone who:

  • Frequently talks badly about former bandmates.
  • Is chronically late to the audition.
  • Doesn’t learn assigned material.
  • Wants to renegotiate everything before understanding the band.
  • Is primarily interested in money when the band isn’t currently profitable.
  • Has frequent conflicts with other musicians.
  • Cannot commit to rehearsal and performance schedules.
  • Expects the rest of the band to provide all the equipment.
  • Wants songwriting credit before contributing anything.
  • Has substance-use issues that interfere with performances.
  • Doesn’t take contracts or business matters seriously.
  • Says they are “too good” to rehearse.
  • Is unwilling to accept constructive criticism.

None of these automatically disqualifies someone, but they are things worth exploring.

A Very Important Question

I’d ask every candidate this:

“What are you looking for from this band, and what are you prepared to contribute to make the band successful?”

Then listen carefully.

You want to understand whether they’re looking for:

A hobby → occasional gigs → serious performing career → creative collaboration → income → exposure → songwriting opportunity → something else.

Two excellent musicians can still be a terrible fit if they have completely different expectations.

Finally: Don’t Hire Solely on Musical Talent

I’d roughly think about the decision in four separate categories:

Can they play?
Will they show up?
Will they work well with us?
Do they want the same thing we want?

The fourth question is often the most important.