Membo
Member Recruitment Blog
Guides, live house info, and tips for finding music partners and starting a band in Japan.
Latest Articles
How to Use Favorites on Membo | How to Save Recruitment Posts, Music Spots, and Music to Revisit Later
How to find band members on Membo | How to view listings from other sites and how to narrow down your search
How to close the recruitment once the members are decided | Contacting other applicants and preparing for resubmission
The order in which to relax member recruitment requirements | Which requirements to remove and which to keep when applications are not coming in.
Who handles the "non-playing" aspects of a band? | Scheduling, finances, and promotion – and what to communicate when recruiting.
What to check before responding when invited to join a band | Criteria for deciding to participate, starting with a passive approach
After applying, contact ceases, the applicant withdraws, or fails to show up on the day of the event | How the recruiting organization perceives this and what to do next
How to Read Band Recruitment Posts | Points to Look for Before Applying and Signs to Avoid
How to find studios and live music venues nationwide | Search for practice spaces and performance venues from a database of over 5,700 listings.
What is Membo? — Japan's Only 8-Language Member Recruitment Service
Membo is a completely free service for finding music partners and band members in Japan. Supporting 5 languages — Japanese, English, Chinese, and Korean — it connects foreigners and Japanese people beyond language barriers.
8-Language Real-Time Translation Chat
Messages you send are automatically translated into the recipient's language. Even replies in another language appear in yours
Map-Based Search
Find nearby postings on Google Maps. Station-based search is also supported
7,000+ Recruitment Posts
Browse recruitment info collected from major Japanese sites, available in multiple languages
Completely Free
Registration, posting, messaging, searching — all free with no paid features
Band Member Recruitment Site Comparison
A comparison of major services for finding band members in Japan.
| Feature | Membo | OURSOUNDS | bandcrew | BandMix.jp | SNS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Multilingual | 5 languages | Japanese only | Japanese only | English & Japanese | Platform dependent |
| Price | Free | Free | Free | Paid plans available | Free |
| Translation Chat | ○ | × | × | × | × |
| Map Search | ○ | × | × | × | × |
| User Base | Newly launched | 650K monthly users | 33K monthly PV | International | General public |
| Genres | Bands, Theater, Clubs | Bands | Bands | Bands | All |
* OURSOUNDS user data from Trustia. bandcrew data from SimilarWeb.
How to Use Membo — Start in 3 Steps
Free Registration
Sign up with email or social account. Set your instruments and genres in your profile
Post or Search
Post your own recruitment or search 7,000+ posts by area, station, or map
Chat with Translation
Send a message to someone you're interested in. The 5-language real-time translation lets you communicate across languages
For Foreign Musicians
Even if your Japanese isn't strong, Membo lets you search for members in your native language and communicate with Japanese members through translation chat. This blog also covers live house info, studio guides, and tips for the music scene in Japan.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Membo free?
Yes, Membo is completely free. Registration, posting, searching, messaging, and translation chat — all features are available at no cost. There are no paid plans or in-app purchases.
Can foreigners use it?
Yes. Membo supports 5 languages: Japanese, English, Chinese (Simplified & Traditional), and Korean. The interface can be switched between all 5 languages, and translation chat allows communication in your native language.
What kinds of recruitment are available?
Primarily bands (rock, pop, jazz, metal, etc.), but also theater groups and social clubs. You can search by instrument — vocals, guitar, bass, drums, keyboards, and more.
How is Membo different from other recruitment sites?
Membo is Japan's only 5-language member recruitment service. Its real-time translation chat enables smooth communication between members who speak different languages. It also features map-based search and station-based search for location-oriented discovery.
