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.

The day a new member is decided is truly joyful. After a long recruitment period, you've finally found someone close to your ideal. You want to schedule the next practice and start playing together right away. I felt the same way. But if you jump straight into the first practice while still caught up in this "joy," you'll leave behind a spark that will quietly take hold later. That spark is the issue of money and rules.

We've covered the process of writing a recruitment ad on Membo , receiving applications, meeting and selecting members, and shaking hands with a "thank you"—up to this point in our previous articles on how to write a recruitment ad and how to select members after receiving applications . This time, we'll discuss what happens next: "From the day you're decided, you'll actually be working together." Who will pay how much for the studio time? Will transportation costs be taken into consideration? Who will bear the burden of the live performance quota? Who will fix the equipment if it breaks down? These kinds of arrangements aren't about laws or contracts; most of them can be prevented with just a simple "word beforehand." In this article, we've identified common money and rule issues that often cause conflict in bands, and summarized how to discuss these things on the day someone joins, along with specific ways of dividing responsibilities, to make things easier later on.

Why should we discuss finances on the day the membership is confirmed?

The main reason why discussions about money tend to be put off is the feeling that "it's difficult to bring it up because we haven't established a relationship yet." New members tend to think, "I'll just pay as I'm told," out of consideration for the existing members, and the existing members also tend to postpone it, thinking, "I'll explain it later." However, this feeling only gets stronger as time goes on. After working together for three months or six months, the hesitation to ask about how to divide studio costs at this point accumulates, and in the end, no one says anything, and everyone continues to work together with different rules in their heads.

There are "unspoken rules" that are taken for granted by existing members—for example, "studio fees are split among those who show up each time" or "whoever drives the equipment van gets a little extra for gas"—but these are completely invisible to new members. This gap in unseen rules is the starting point for many interpersonal problems in bands. We've touched on cases where disagreements arise due to differences in musical style in another article , but money matters are a much more basic and easier topic to bring up. The time right after joining, when relationships are still new and everyone is using polite language, is actually the best time to confirm these rules.

Especially in a setting like Membo , where members come from different regions and speak different native languages, the assumption that "money matters can be understood without being explicitly stated" simply doesn't work. Because of language barriers, it's actually more beneficial to be clear about things from the start, as this reduces the likelihood of misunderstandings later. Rather than remaining silent out of politeness, it's better for everyone involved to clarify things at the beginning, even if it feels a little awkward.

Before we start our first practice session, I'd like to talk for just 5 minutes.

You don't need to decide everything in detail on the first day. However, sharing at least these five points in the five minutes before the first practice session will significantly reduce friction later on. If you're working with members who have just met at Membo , briefly mentioning just these five points in your messages before your first studio practice session will make the atmosphere much more relaxed on the day.

• How should studio fees be shared ? Should they be split equally, divided among participants, or proportional to the time spent?
• Handling of transportation expenses —should we consider or not consider expenses for members who commute from far away?
• Rules regarding absences and tardiness — Does the treatment differ depending on whether the absence is unannounced or announced in advance?
• Handling of shared equipment —whose property is it, and who repairs it when it breaks?
• Where to handle money transactions —should it be handled within a group chat, or should a different tool be used?

If you share these five points, the finer details (such as music production costs and live performance quotas) will naturally come up as your activities progress. Conversely, if you start your activities with these five points left vague, small confusions will arise as early as the first one or two studio practice sessions, such as "Hmm, how do I pay for today's studio session?", and these will accumulate without being resolved.

Studio rental fee sharing methods — split equally, split among participants, or proportionally based on time spent: each method has its pros and cons.

There are three main ways to divide studio costs among band members. We've outlined each method and which bands they are best suited for. The average costs themselves (how much studio fees and equipment costs are) are covered in detail in our complete guide to band expenses , so here we'll focus on how to decide "who will pay what."

Each method has its pros and cons, and there's no single "right answer." However, from what I've seen, bands with inconsistent member participation tend to choose the "participant-based" method, while bands with a consistent lineup that can meet every time seem to reduce management costs by using the "per-member" method. If there are new members who aren't familiar with renting a studio , a practical approach is to have existing members cover the costs for the first few sessions, and then have them join the formal rules once they've become more comfortable. For members who joined through Membo , checking their registered residential area and available time in their profile makes it easier to determine which method of sharing costs best suits their situation.

Incidentally, the idea of dividing expenses equally among participants is a long-standing cultural practice in Japan, known as "warikan" ( splitting the bill ). For band studio fees, you can start with a simple approach, similar to how you would pay at a drinking party—simply dividing the cost by the number of people present—and then gradually move to more detailed methods, such as a time-based system, as your activities become more serious. There's no need to aim for a perfect system from the beginning.

How to handle transportation expenses — when there are members commuting from far away

Regarding transportation expenses, the de facto default for many bands is "no specific arrangements." This isn't a problem when only members who live nearby are active, but when members who commute from far away or foreign members whose travel range tends to be wider are added, this "no arrangements" itself can feel unfair. In practice, the following three patterns are realistic ways to make arrangements.

• Travel expenses are borne by each member —the simplest option. This is common in bands where members live close by.
• Partial subsidy only on the day of the live performance —practice costs are borne by each individual; only on the day of the actual performance or a tour, a portion of the band's shared funds will be used to cover expenses.
• Expenses will be reimbursed each time —only on occasions where the burden is unevenly distributed, such as when someone has to provide the equipment van or transport large items by train.

If you include the area where you can work in your Membo post when recruiting, both parties can get an idea of the distance they can travel when they apply, which makes discussions about transportation costs smoother later on.

Rather than deciding on a "right answer," it's more important to articulate "why you've divided the tasks this way." For example, simply stating, "Right now, we only have members who live nearby, so we haven't considered transportation costs, but we'll reconsider if someone from further away joins," can smoothly transition into discussions when a member from out of town actually joins. For members who are balancing work or studies , or for bands that have been active for a long time , these kinds of small considerations are the foundation for their continued success. If you're a band of working adults , transportation methods may differ between weekday and weekend practices, so it's reassuring to discuss that as well.

Who will be responsible for how many tickets to sell at the live concert?

The ticket quota system itself for live house performances—why quotas exist, the going rate, and the concept of quota rebates—is explained in detail in the booking and quota explanation article and the process leading up to the first performance . What I want to address here is the next step: "How do you divide the quota that the band has accepted among the members?"

Common ways of sorting include the following:

• Even distribution – the simplest method where all members aim for the same number of items.
• Mostly experienced members —those with many acquaintances tend to take on a slightly larger number of orders, while new members start with fewer.
• Implement a trial period —for the first few live performances after joining, new members will be exempted from or have their performance quotas reduced.

One thing to be mindful of here is that new members haven't yet built a network of acquaintances and friends they can invite to live shows. If you ask them to sell the same number of tickets as existing members from the start, it's likely to create a situation where the new members are the only ones who can't meet the requirement and feel uncomfortable. In my experience, it's better to set a lower number for the first few shows and then revise it once the group's activities are on track. This gradual approach makes it easier to maintain good relationships in the long run.

Sharing equipment and equipment costs — who buys it and who owns it?

PA speakers, microphone stands, extra cymbals, drum stools—as a band progresses, "band-shared equipment" naturally accumulates rather than being individually owned. A common problem here is ambiguity: "Someone bought it upfront, but somehow it's now treated as band property." Later, if someone says, "I bought that, so I want it back," it can become awkward when a member leaves the band. This ambiguity often surfaces when a member leaves the band .

For shared equipment, it's reassuring to at least make a note of two things: "Who paid for the purchase?" and "Who will bear the cost of any repairs?" For expensive equipment, simply posting a short message in the group chat at the time of purchase, such as "○○ will pay for this, and it will be used as shared equipment by the band," is sufficient documentation. There's no need for complicated formats.

It's common for newly joined members to bring their own instruments and amplifiers. In this case, it's important to make it clear that "these are personal belongings and not shared band property." While Membo profiles allow you to register the instruments you play, amplifiers and effects pedals are not included in the registration fields. When it comes time to actually bring them in, it's a good idea to confirm verbally or via message to prevent misunderstandings later on, such as "I thought this belonged to the band."

Sharing of costs for music production and recording

Your first recording session and music release will incur significant costs separate from studio practice. With numerous expenses such as recording studio fees, mixing and mastering fees, and distribution service fees, it's an area where disputes can easily arise if you don't decide on a division of costs beforehand.

In many cases, the studio fee sharing methods (divided equally, divided by participants, or proportional to time) that have been introduced so far can be directly applied. However, music production is not something that "only those who participate benefit from"; the finished recording becomes an asset for the entire band. Therefore, even if some members did not attend the recording, it seems that a relatively large number of bands adopt the rule of dividing the costs equally among everyone. Conversely, it becomes easier to draw a line based on "who benefits" from it, such as making the cost of individual lessons for the vocalist the individual's responsibility.

Money management methods — joint accounts, reimbursement, and record keeping

Even if you decide on a method for dividing the costs, without a system to manage the actual flow of money, it will ultimately become unclear "who paid how much." Practical methods include the following:

• Joint fund/envelope system : The same amount is set aside each time to pay for studio time, and the payment is made from that. This minimizes the need for detailed settlements.
• Advance payment/settlement each time —someone pays upfront, and then settles the bill later via group chat or a money transfer app. Flexible, but prone to forgetting to settle.
• Create a simple record sheet —just write down the date, who paid, amount, and purpose in a spreadsheet or memo app.

Whatever method you choose, the important thing is that "one person takes on the role of manager." If everyone tries to manage things haphazardly, ultimately no one will keep records, and months later, you'll likely end up asking, "What happened to that money back then?" The manager doesn't necessarily have to be the leader or coordinator; it can work just as well if you entrust it to a meticulous member or rotate the role.

If you already communicate with the person using Membo messaging, simply sending a text message with the amount and date will create a record. If you want the whole band to see the same ledger, it's best to designate one location where all members can access it. Rather than creating a new system from scratch, I think the easiest way to maintain financial records is to integrate them into your existing communication methods.

What happens to studio fees in case of lateness, absence, or same-day cancellation?

Even if you have rules in place for sharing studio costs, surprisingly few bands have decided how to handle situations where someone is absent or late. There are mainly three scenarios you should anticipate.

• If you are absent with prior notice , a relatively amicable approach is to switch to a "participant discount" system for that session, effectively eliminating the burden on the absent person.
• Same-day cancellations – Since studio reservations are already confirmed, it seems many bands have a rule that requires the person who cancels to bear a certain amount of the cost.
• Lateness – There are two options: reduce the workload by the amount of time late, or not make any adjustments. Because making too many detailed adjustments would make calculations complicated, many companies adopt a more lenient approach, only consulting in cases of extreme lateness.

Regardless of which rules are adopted, the fundamental structure of "other members filling in for those who are absent" remains the same. That's why the value of informing others early that you can't make it today is also supported by financial considerations. By creating a simple system where treatment differs depending on the timing of notification, members are more likely to understand that "it's in my best interest to let them know early."

Settle accounts upon leaving — To end on good terms

Many of the problems that arise when a member leaves a band are actually caused not by differences in musical style, but by "unresolved issues regarding settlements." Items such as the return of shared equipment, the balance of a joint fund, and the division of recording costs that have not yet been paid—these things should not be hastily sorted out when the topic of leaving comes up. Sharing at least a general outline of "how settlements will be made if someone leaves" when the member joins will significantly lower the psychological hurdle when the time comes.

Specifically, it's reassuring to have at least these three points decided.

• Regarding shared equipment, is it permissible for the person leaving the group to take home any items they purchased personally?
• If there is a balance in the joint fund, should we return a portion to the departing member or leave it with the band?
• During the period between the decision to leave and the actual departure from activities, will the division of responsibilities continue as before?

Deciding these things in advance doesn't mean we suspect there might be conflicts someday. On the contrary, having these things decided beforehand prevents us from becoming emotional when the time comes for someone to actually leave. If we can settle things amicably, then when we start looking for new members for Membo afterward, we can take the next step with a clear conscience.

The rights and money behind original songs

When a band starts creating original songs, the question of "who owns the rights to this song?" inevitably arises. Generally, it is widely understood that the copyright belongs to the person who wrote the lyrics and composed the music. The actual copyright system and points to note regarding the performance of cover songs are covered in our article summarizing the basics of copyright , so please read that as well. More official and detailed information can be found on the Agency for Cultural Affairs' copyright guidance page and the official website of JASRAC , which manages music copyrights. There are also neighboring rights that relate to the performance and recording itself, but for the activities of an amateur band, it is sufficient to first understand the basic concepts of copyright.

When it comes to money, the term "royalties" is probably what concerns you the most. Royalties are the fees paid to rights holders each time a song is used, but in reality, when bands release their own music independently, they don't often have detailed agreements on how to distribute royalties. What's more important is that all members share, at least vaguely, the understanding that "this band's original songs are not the property of one person, but something that the band as a whole will nurture" from the moment they join. When the time comes that usage fees for streaming or live performances are incurred in the future, you can discuss specific distribution methods at that time, and that should be fine. If you're unsure, it's best to consult with experts or relevant organizations.

Should we put it in writing, or just make a verbal agreement?

Many people probably wonder how formally the rules we've discussed should be documented. In short, formal contracts are unnecessary for most amateur bands. The important thing is to make them "in a format that can be easily referenced later."

A practical and common solution is to create a short bulleted list of "the band's financial rules" using a fixed message or pinned feature in a group chat, rather than writing a formal contract. It's easy to update, and when a new member joins, you can simply show them the message to explain. Rather than choosing between written and verbal agreements, a hybrid approach of "summarizing verbally agreed-upon terms in a place where anyone can refer to it later" seems to be the most realistic solution for many bands. If you have concerns about personal financial transactions in general, the information published by the Consumer Affairs Agency can also be helpful.

Common patterns of conflict and a preemptive remark

Even if you've established all the rules we've discussed so far, minor misunderstandings are bound to occur during actual activities. Here are some common patterns and a few phrases you can use to prevent them.

• It's difficult to say, "I provided the equipment van today, so I'd like to be paid extra for transportation expenses" —if you establish a rule beforehand that "the person who provides the equipment van will receive an additional XX yen," you won't have to bring it up every time.
• "I'm the only one who's been late multiple times, but no one says anything." — If someone is consistently late, instead of blaming them, try bringing it up as a discussion about sharing responsibilities, such as, "Should we all review how we're handling the studio fees lately?" This way, you can avoid conflict.
• "I always feel like I'm paying more than the required amount for live performances." — Don't rely solely on your feelings; check the numbers by looking at a simple record sheet and asking, "What's actually happening?"

The key to avoiding emotional outbursts about money is to shift from "blaming others" to "rethinking the system." If you're unsure how to proceed with personal financial troubles, public institutions like the National Consumer Affairs Center can be helpful as a readily accessible resource. If legal advice becomes necessary, you can also utilize public support organizations like the Japan Legal Support Center . However, in most cases, financial issues within a band can be resolved with a simple word of communication early on, without needing to resort to more formal consultation services.

Discussing money matters in a place where the conversation is automatically recorded, like Membo 's messaging function, makes it less likely for "he said, she said" arguments to occur. While face-to-face conversations have a warmth to them, memories can easily clash, so I've seen many bands use a distinction where they record only parts involving amounts and dates in text.

Sign-up checklist — ready to use

Finally, here's a list of things you should check on the day the new members are decided, or before the first practice. You don't need to decide everything perfectly. Just checking them off from top to bottom is enough to start with.

Ideally, this checklist should be reviewed by existing members welcoming new members, but if existing members don't provide any explanation, it's perfectly fine for new members to ask, "What are the rules regarding this?" In fact, in my experience, members who proactively ask questions immediately after joining tend to have smoother activities in the future.

Writing it down at the recruitment stage makes things much easier later on.

Actually, the discussions about money and rules that I've covered so far aren't things you should only consider after the members have been decided. If you include a phrase like, "Studio fees will be split among participants," or "There will be a trial period before live performance quotas," when writing the recruitment notice , applicants will be aware of this before applying, and you can also check early on whether their financial sense aligns with yours during the selection process .

In the process of "writing a recruitment notice → receiving applications → meeting and selecting → discussing money and rules once a decision is made," I believe that the discussion about money should never be rushed at the very end, but rather should actually begin little by little from the initial recruitment notice. Membo 's posting form allows you to include these conditions in your recruitment notice, so I recommend aligning each other's expectations from the stage before joining.

Talking about money is by no means a tactless topic. In fact, discussing it properly from the beginning is a way of showing your intention to continue this band for a long time. To ensure that you and your new members, whom you've met through Membo , can continue working together smoothly and for a long time, please make use of the checklist introduced in this article. If you add the Membo app to your home screen, you can check your communications with members anytime, and if you check the notification settings , you won't miss any replies from new members. If you're unsure how to use it, please refer to the help page . New articles and activity tips are also updated regularly on the announcements page , so please check that out as well. The background behind this article is also explained on the About the Author page.