One of the main draws of social media is being able to find like-minded people with similar interests. For musicians, this is doubly beneficial because social media allows them to network, connect, and collaborate with other performers.
But there haven’t been many platforms that target musicians, especially those looking to write or record with others. Typically, they were limited to posting in groups or creating segmented ads to attract interest.
Vampr, a social media platform hailed as the “Tinder for musicians”, aims to streamline that process. Here’s how it works.
What Is Vampr?
Vampr is a social networking app aimed explicitly at helping bands find new members. It can also aid in music discovery and as a way to connect musicians, fans, and industry professionals. By 2022, it had helped musicians create over 8 million new musical connections.
It was first developed in 2015 by Australian musicians Josh Simons and Barry Palmer of Hunters & Collectors. Their first motivator was frustration at how cumbersome it was to create new musical connections, especially in new cities or environments.
To help simplify this process, Vampr decided on a model similar to the popular dating platform Tinder. On Vampr, users can browse the other profiles on the platform, swiping left or right until they find a match. Musicians can easily upload songs from their YouTube, Spotify, or Soundcloud accounts to add detail to their profiles.
The basic version of Vampr is also free, so there’s a low barrier to entry for both aspiring musicians (who can also improve their skills with music learning websites) and professionals. It also allows users to easily specify the type of project they are working on, the kind of collaboration they’re after, and their immediate or long-term musical goals.
Another way Vampr streamlines connections is by removing the element of distance. If a musician lives in an area where they’re unlikely to find other musical partners, Vampr—just like Tinder—allows them to broaden the scope of their search as they see fit.
How to Use Vampr
Vampr allows users to do three simple tasks:
- Connect with other musicians and match with them according to their common interests. You can also match with industry professionals such as producers, or music lovers, enabling you to create a fan base.
- Create a team or band to stay in contact to enable mutual collaboration.
- Control publishing and distribute music on different channels via a paid subscription service Vampr Publishing.
It’s very simple to get started on the platform. Here’s a step-by-step guide.
1. Create a Vampr Profile
You can log in via Facebook, Google, or Apple accounts. Then, set up your profile image and bio.
You can also tap on Edit Media to upload music from platforms such as YouTube, SoundCloud, or Spotify to bulk up your profile. On the same tab, you can upload promo pictures or any visual material you feel is relevant to your profile.
It’s also possible to alter your Discovery Settings to change the location, age range, or distance of the musicians you want to find. You can also tweak your search settings via the What are you looking for? tab. If you need a specific musician, like a bass player or drummer, you can add this filter to your search.
2. Start Matching With Musicians
Then, it’s a simple process of swiping left when you don’t like a musician (you cannot reverse this process on Vampr Free) or swiping right when you want to match. You can also swipe upwards if you desire to save an interesting profile for later.
If you want to investigate a profile further, you can click or tap an image to go into the full profile. From there, you can tap Audition and listen to the user’s music on YouTube, Soundcloud, or Spotify.
3. Connect!
Once you’ve established a mutual connection, you can start chatting with other users. You can do this easily via the chat bubble.
How Much Does Vampr Cost?
While Vampr is a free app, it does offer two subscription models for those wishing to take things further.
Vampr Pro
Users can access Vampr Pro for $4.99/month. There are also significant discounts for a six-month term ($23.94, down to $3.99/month) or 12 months ($35.88, which comes down to $2.99/month)
Pro users can access unique features, such as a Pro badge, rewinds (the ability to look at profiles they’ve rejected), more detailed search options, and a stealth mode.
Pro users also keep 100% of their royalties if they publish their music on any digital platform through Vampr. Other salient Pro features include being able to turn off ads and getting access to exclusive QAs and interviews with music industry experts.
Vampr Publishing
For those who need something extra, there’s Vampr Publishing. This feature attempts to do away with the traditional model where musicians rely on publishers.
Vampr Publishing relies on “Syncs,” or the process of combining music with moving images, such as a TV show, movie, or video game. Via Publishing, Vampr attempts to pitch a user’s music whenever a brief or search comes in from a music supervisor.
If Vampr can land the deal, the user will enter into a two-year exclusive publishing agreement. During that period, Vampr will attempt to find extra placements and opportunities for the particular piece of music they were able to pitch, and for the user as a composer and songwriter.
Vampr Publishing costs $5.99/month with a seven-day free trial. It also covers all the Pro features, with additional access to Premium support, as well as access to Vampr Academy, Vampr's proprietary knowledge encyclopedia.
Should You Try Out Vampr?
If you’re a musician and want to try out a new way to connect to other artists, Vampr offers a wide variety of options to do so. If you’re in an area where finding bandmates is difficult, Vampr may be a big help.
Moreover, if you’re interested in publishing your music, Vampr can be an interesting option, with much better margins than regular industry agreements. In a niche where there aren’t many options, Vampr seems to offer a complete package for both experienced and up-and-coming musicians.