Indie Music Marketer .com

Finding or replacing musicians can be a very difficult task as there are many musicians with individual talent levels, experience, goals and playing style. Of course the key is to match your particular criteria to the applicant. A very effective technique to locate musicians is to use a cattle call. This is when you attract a large amount of possibilities for your position interview them and whittle down to the select few and make a decision from there of who is the best applicant. Hollywood uses these technique very effectively to select people for movies. You can implement a cattle call by using as many of the items that I have listed below at the same time. This will cause a large response to your efforts and helps keep search time to a minimum. I recommend that you screen out as many people that you can over the phone. Do not feel obligated to meet each and every one face to face. After you have identified a select few get together with each of them and listen to tapes and play tapes of your act. Set up auditions with musicians out of this group that you think may fit the bill. Then of course, you need to make a decision on who gets the gig. Here are some ideas that will make your cattle call a success.

Place ads in all of your local music related papers and magazines. Also, place ads in as many web sites that you can find on the internet.

Post flyers at all local music stores and all record stores.

Pass out flyers at local clubs on busy nights, give one to everyone in the club. Go to a concert for a national act and place flyers on cars in the parking lot.

Give out business sized cards with info on what you are looking for to people in clubs. Because of the small size people will put them into their pockets and hold onto them.

Do a press release stating what you are looking for and send it to all music related magazines and newspapers in your area.

Call and talk to other bands in your hometown. Sometimes local music magazines have an annual listing of bands in your city with contact info. Use this listing to spread the word about your open position. Also, talk to people that work in music stores and record stores. Make sure you give your contact info to everyone you talk to.

Call teachers for the type of instrument you are looking for. Looking for a drummer? call drum instructors, they may have a student looking for a gig.

If your city has a local music hour send your CD as well as a letter stating what you are looking for. They may play your music and then elaborate over the air that you are looking for a player. Make sure you tell them it is OK to air your phone number.

Many local clubs have open mics one day a week and anyone can show up and jam with other musicians. Go to these! They can be a gold mine for players looking for a gig. Pass out your flyers at those clubs on the open mic nights.

I know this may sound crazy but people selling gear may be interested in your gig or know someone who is, it doesnt hurt to try.

If you use all of these techniques at the same time your phone will be ringing off the hook. You can then begin the process of qualifying the applicants. Good luck and happy hunting!