The Big Problem: Vague Posts
Most musician ads fail the same way. They're too vague. "Looking for drummer, rock band, serious only" tells a drummer almost nothing. What kind of rock? How serious is serious? Where are you, and when do you practice?
A good post answers the questions people would ask you anyway, before they have to ask. Here's what that looks like in practice.
1. Put the Key Info in the Title
Most people skim titles and only open the posts that look like a fit. "Drummer wanted, 90s alt covers, Waltham" will get far more clicks than "Musician needed!!!" because a drummer who likes that stuff and lives nearby knows right away it's for them.
If you can fit the instrument, the style and the town into the title, you're already ahead of most of the posts out there.
2. Name Some Bands
Genre labels are slippery. "Rock" could mean Aerosmith, the Pixies or Converge, and those are three very different rehearsals. Name a few artists you sound like, or want to sound like. It's the fastest way for someone to figure out whether they're interested.
You'd be surprised how many posts skip this. When I went through this October's listings, a lot of them never said what kind of music they play at all, so anyone replying was basically guessing.
3. Say What "Serious" Means
"Serious musicians only" doesn't tell anyone anything, because everyone thinks they're serious. Spell out what you mean. Rehearsing every week? Learning songs at home before practice? Being free most weekends for gigs?
Say whether you play covers, originals or a mix, and what you're aiming for. Paid gigs most weekends, a few shows a year and just playing for fun are all fine goals. They just attract different people, and you want the right ones.
4. Where and When
Give a town or neighborhood and say where you rehearse. Then say when. Weeknights or weekends? How often? Someone in Framingham who works nights can rule themselves out in five seconds, which saves you both a week of back and forth.
If your rehearsal space is near the T, mention it. Not everyone in this city has a car, and a lot of good players will skip a post that looks like it needs one.
5. Tell People About Yourselves
Who's already in the band? How long have you been playing together? A rough age range helps too. Plenty of posts around here say something like "we're all in our 50s with day jobs and families," and that's useful. Somebody in the same boat will read that and think, okay, these are my people.
Be honest about your level. If you're beginners, say so. There are lots of other beginners out there and they'll be relieved to find you. If you need someone who can read charts for a jazz gig next month, say that too.
6. Link to Your Music
A demo, a YouTube video, a Bandcamp page, even a phone recording from the back of the rehearsal room. Thirty seconds of audio does more than three paragraphs describing your sound.
Not many posts include a link, so this is one of the easiest ways to stand out. It also tells people you're real and actually playing, which matters on boards where plenty of posts go nowhere.
7. Don't Repost Every Day
Every so often the same post shows up three or four times in a week. It makes it look like nobody wants to join, and Craigslist tends to flag duplicates anyway. Post once, then refresh it every week or two if you're still looking.
8. Answer Your Replies
This sounds obvious, but a lot of people don't do it. If someone writes you a thoughtful message with a link to their playing, write back, even if it's just "thanks, we found someone." It takes ten seconds, and people remember who ghosted them.
Before and After
Here's a typical vague post, and the same band's post rewritten with everything above.
Musician wanted
Band looking for musicians. Rock. Must be serious. Email if interested.
Bassist wanted for 90s alt-rock cover band (Medford)
We're a four-piece (two guitars, drums and a singer), all somewhere in our 30s and 40s. We play stuff like Foo Fighters, Weezer, Garbage and the Pixies. We rehearse Wednesday nights at a room in Medford, about ten minutes from Wellington on the Orange Line, and play out roughly once a month at bars north of the city.
Looking for a bassist who can learn songs on their own and make most rehearsals. Backing vocals would be great but aren't a dealbreaker. Here's a rough video from our last show: [link]. Tell us a bit about yourself and what you've played before.
The second one is longer, but nobody reading it has to guess. A bassist who likes that music, lives nearby and is free on Wednesdays will write back. Everyone else will skip it, and that's exactly what you want.
Quick Checklist
Before you hit post, make sure it covers:
- The instrument you need (or play) and the town, both in the title
- A few artists you sound like
- Covers, originals or both
- When and where you rehearse, and how often
- What you're working toward, whether that's gigs or just fun
- A little about who's in the band now
- A link to some music
Posts in the Craigslist Boston musicians section get picked up on this site when the listings are updated, so yours may end up on the listings page too. If you're on the other side and looking for a band to join, my guide to finding bandmates in Boston has some advice for that.