Membo
Member Recruitment Blog
Guides, live house info, and tips for finding music partners and starting a band in Japan.
Latest Articles
Participating as a support member or guest musician | How to get involved with the band before officially joining
A Complete Guide to Conducting Your First Online Meeting: Things to Discuss with Potential Members from Distant Locations or Overseas Before Meeting In Person
Things to decide before forming a band | Direction, conditions, and activity frequency to solidify before posting a recruitment notice.
Is it okay to apply to multiple bands at the same time? | Etiquette for applying to multiple bands, and how to be honest about it and decline offers.
How to Become a Wind Instrument/Violinist: A Self-Study Roadmap and How to Determine Your Level of Skill for Band Playing
The first thing to discuss when a new member is decided: Money and rules | How to avoid disputes over the division of transportation costs, studio fees, quotas, and equipment costs.
How to select band members when applications come in? | How to assess and select candidates without interviews
The Complete Guide to Writing Member Recruitment Ads | From Effective Recruitment Ad Templates to Examples of What Not to Do and How to Utilize the Membo Posting Form
The Complete Guide to Overcoming Stage Fright and Anxiety in Bands | From Understanding the Nature of Anxiety to Breathing, Thinking, Rehearsals, Day-of Routines, and Recovering from Mistakes
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 8 languages — Japanese, English, Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese, Nepali, and Hindi — 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 | 8 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 8-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 8 languages: Japanese, English, Chinese (Simplified & Traditional), Korean, Vietnamese, Nepali, and Hindi. The interface can be switched between all 8 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 8-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.
