How can a character become a band member?

[Bullseye]

Really poor design. I'm not sure why they skimped on so many basic features.

[LuigiHann]

I didn't really have a problem with the way they handled it.

I mentioned in another thread, if you have already customized a stand in for a specific instrument, and then you join the game with that instrument, and go to create a new character, you're given the opportunity to name, save, and play as your existing custom character. So it's basically the same as RB2's stand-ins, only in reverse.