Discover & Book Musicians for Your Dream Event

1. Searching Without an Account

You do not need to create an account to start exploring. Both on the web and mobile app, you can browse musicians and check their availability for your desired dates in guest mode — no sign-in required.

2. Two Ways to Search

Our search module offers two different ways to find the right musician for your event.

Search by Event Location & Date

• Use the search icon to enter your event location, date, and preferred timeframe.
• The system instantly displays all musicians who are available and able to perform at your event on that date.
• You can also refine results using filters such as price range, ratings, and musical genre or instrument.
• This is the fastest way to book — you can go from search to booking request in under a minute.

Search by Musician Name

• Search directly for a musician by name and visit their profile to check their availability, services, and performance locations.
• Enter your Event Location, Date, and Timeframe on the musician's profile — the system will instantly confirm whether the musician is available and operates in your area.
• You will be clearly informed if the musician is available for your event, or if they do not operate in your location.

Saving Favourite Musicians

Click the heart icon on any musician's profile to add them to your favourites. This makes it easy to revisit musicians you're considering or want to book again.

3. Setting Your Exact Event Location

When entering your event location, Mucanto gives you four options to pinpoint where your event will take place. You can use whichever works best for your situation.

Option 1 — Search by Venue Name

Type the name of your venue (e.g. Palermo Bar, Grand Hotel Athens) in the event location field. If the venue exists on OpenStreetMap, it will appear as a suggestion and the system will place the pin at its registered location automatically.

Option 2 — Search by Street Address

If your venue does not appear by name, you can type its full street address instead (e.g. 25 Ermou Street, Athens). The system will resolve the address and place the pin at that location.

Option 3 — Add a General Location and Adjust the Pin Manually

If neither the venue name nor the exact address returns a usable result, you can enter a nearby street, area, or landmark to get an approximate starting point — and then move the pin to the precise location manually.

• On the web — After entering your location on the musician's profile, the map will display with a pin placed at the resolved point. You can drag the pin to the exact spot where your event will take place.
• On the mobile app — After entering your event address, the app opens a map view with a draggable pin. Move the pin to the precise event location before continuing.

Option 4 — Use Your Current Location (Mobile App Only)

If you are physically present at the venue at the time of making the booking, the Mucanto mobile app can use your device's GPS to set the event location automatically. When prompted, grant the app permission to access your location — the pin will be placed at your current position on the map.

This is the most accurate option available, as it captures the precise coordinates of the venue directly from where you are standing.

4. My Venue Is Not on the Map

Mucanto uses OpenStreetMap (OSM) to power location search. When you type your venue name, the platform looks it up on OSM to resolve the exact coordinates used for matching you with available musicians.

If your venue — a bar, restaurant, hotel, garden, or private space — does not appear when you search by name, it means it has not yet been added to OpenStreetMap. This is common for newer establishments or venues in areas that have not been fully mapped yet.

In this case you have two options: use Options 2, 3, or 4 from Section 3 above to enter your location by address, manually adjust the pin, or use your current GPS position, or add your venue to OpenStreetMap so that it becomes searchable by name — both for you and for any future client who wants to host an event at the same location.

Adding your venue to OpenStreetMap is free and takes only a few minutes.

Step 1 — Check If Your Venue Already Exists

Before adding anything, first confirm the venue is genuinely missing:

1. Go to openstreetmap.org.
2. Use the search bar at the top left to type your venue name alongside the city or neighbourhood (e.g. Palermo Bar, Athens).
3. If your venue appears in the results, it is already on the map. Try searching for it again on Mucanto using the exact name as it appears on OpenStreetMap, including correct spelling and any special characters.
4. If no result is found, proceed with the steps below to add it.

Step 2 — Create an OpenStreetMap Account

1. Go to openstreetmap.org/user/new and click Sign Up.
2. Enter a display name, your email address, and a password.
3. Confirm your email via the verification link sent to your inbox.
4. Once logged in, you are ready to add your venue.

Step 3 — Locate Your Venue on the Map

1. On the OpenStreetMap homepage, use the search bar or zoom in manually to find the exact location of your venue.
2. Navigate to the precise spot — the building entrance or plot where the venue is located.
3. Click the Edit button at the top of the page and select Edit with iD (the default in-browser editor — no software installation required).

Step 4 — Add Your Venue as a Point

1. In the iD editor, click the Point button in the toolbar at the top.
2. Click on the map at the exact location of your venue to place a new point.
3. A panel will appear on the left. Use the search field to select the correct venue type. For example:
   • Bar → select Bar
   • Restaurant → select Restaurant
   • Hotel → select Hotel
   • Event venue / banquet hall → select Events Venue or Banquet Hall
   • Nightclub → select Nightclub
4. Fill in the details in the fields provided:
   • Name: The full official name of your venue as it is publicly known.
   • Address: Street name, house number, postcode, and city.
   • Phone: Contact number (optional but recommended).
   • Website: Your venue's website if available (optional).

Step 5 — Save Your Changes

1. Once all details are filled in, click the Save button at the top right of the editor.
2. Add a brief note in the Changeset Comment field (e.g. Added venue: Palermo Bar, Athens).
3. Click Upload to submit your changes to the OpenStreetMap database.

5. Sign Up & Profile Setup

How to Sign Up

Visit the platform and click Sign Up. Enter your name, email address, and a secure password. After submitting the form, you'll receive a confirmation email — once verified, you can immediately start searching for musicians.

During sign-up, you can select your preferred music genres. Our algorithm uses this to match you with musicians that best fit your musical taste in future searches.

Setting Up Your Profile

Complete your profile before making a booking to ensure smooth transactions and clear communication with musicians.

• Payment Details: Add your preferred payment method. We accept major credit cards, processed securely through Stripe. You can save multiple methods and set a default.
• Billing Information: Enter your billing address and contact details to ensure accurate invoicing. Your billing information is only visible to musicians with whom you have a confirmed booking, so they can issue you an invoice at the time of the event. The platform also requires your billing information in cases where a penalty applies, in order to issue the relevant invoice.
• Preferences: Set your music preferences and event types to get more relevant musician recommendations.

6. Booking Process

Once you have found an available musician, follow these steps to complete your booking request.

1. Browse & Select: Search by event location or musician name.
2. Check Availability: Select your preferred date and timeframe to confirm the musician is available.
3. Music Genres & Event Type: Select the genres and event style so the musician can tailor their performance.
4. Services: Choose any additional services the musician offers at your event location.
5. Review Details: Confirm the date, time, location, and pricing before proceeding.
6. Make Payment: Complete the secure payment process through Stripe.
7. Receive Confirmation: You'll get an instant confirmation of your booking request.

7. Selecting Services

• After confirming availability, you will be shown only the services available at your event's location. Services may vary depending on the musician's operating area.
• Browse and select any extras you'd like to include (e.g. sound system, lighting, stage setup).

8. Payment & Smart Booking Assist

The payment process varies depending on whether the musician has Smart Booking Assist enabled.

Time Slot Reservation

Once you select an available time slot and begin the booking process, that slot is temporarily locked for you until payment is completed. If you exit before finishing, the slot is released and becomes available to other clients again.

Smart Booking Assist OFF (Manual Approval)

An authorisation is placed on your card but funds are not captured immediately. The musician has 24 hours to approve the request. Once approved, the payment is fully processed and your funds are secured until the event takes place.

Smart Booking Assist ON (Automatic Approval)

Availability has already been pre-checked and confirmed. Payment is taken immediately and the booking is confirmed automatically — no manual approval from the musician is required.

9. Booking & Event Statuses

Your bookings will display different statuses throughout the process. Here is a full reference.

10. Managing Your Bookings

Your dashboard gives you a full view of all booking activity:

• Upcoming Events: All confirmed bookings with dates, times, and musician details.
• Booking History: A record of past events and their outcomes.
• Payment Records: Access invoices and payment confirmations.
• Messages: Review all communication exchanged with musicians.
• Reviews: See reviews you've left and reviews musicians have left for you.

Messaging Musicians

Once a booking request has been made, you can use the integrated messaging system to communicate directly with musicians — to discuss event details, ask questions, or follow up at any stage of the booking.

11. Cancellations & Refunds

Cancellations can be made through your dashboard. The refund amount depends on how far in advance you cancel:

• More than 48 hours before the event: Full refund.
• Between 48 and 24 hours before the event: 50% cancellation penalty applied.
• Within 24 hours of the event: 50% cancellation penalty applied. You may also be held responsible for covering any out-of-pocket expenses already incurred by the musician (e.g. travel tickets, accommodation, equipment rental).

12. Event Verification

• After the event takes place, both you and the musician are required to verify the event through the mobile app.
• Verification must be completed within the event window — from the event start time until the event end time.
• This step applies in all cases and ensures that both parties confirm the event was completed as agreed.
• Full details are covered in our Verification Policy.

13. Reviews

• Review Window: You have 14 days after your event to leave a review.
• Visibility: Reviews are shown publicly only after both parties have submitted one, or after the 14-day window has passed. If only one party submits within 14 days, only that review will appear.
• Content: Focus on the musician's performance, professionalism, punctuality, and overall service. Keep feedback constructive and relevant to the booking.
• Impact: Reviews directly affect a musician's rating and visibility on the platform.

This article is regularly updated to reflect the latest features and policies. For additional support, please contact our customer service team.