Are you ready to unleash your inner guitar hero? The stage is set for the ultimate showdown of skill and musicality in the solo guitar arena. This isn’t just a competition; it’s Guitar Wars, where amateur guitarists clash in a battle of riffs, rhythms, and raw talent. Whether you’re a fingerstyle virtuoso, a pick-wielding shredder, or a slide master, this is your chance to prove your mettle.
Divisions and Brackets: Find Your Battlefield
Guitar Wars is structured to ensure fair fights and celebrate talent across all ages and skill levels. We’ve divided the competition into brackets for both youth (up to 17 years old) and adults (18 and over), each further categorized by skill level: Beginner, Intermediate, and Advanced. You can choose to compete in the Solo Guitar bracket, showcasing your unaccompanied skills, or the Backing Track bracket, where you can solo over a provided track or your own looper pedal creation. This flexibility allows every guitarist to compete in their comfort zone while pushing their boundaries.
Youth Brackets (Ages up to 17)
- Beginner: Solo Guitar or with Backing Track
- Intermediate: Solo Guitar or with Backing Track
- Advanced: Solo Guitar or with Backing Track
Adult Brackets (Ages 18 and up)
- Beginner: Solo Guitar or with Backing Track
- Intermediate: Solo Guitar or with Backing Track
- Advanced: Solo Guitar or with Backing Track
Registration: Step into the Arena
Ready to join the Guitar Wars? Registration is your first step into the arena. Head over to [website address – replace with actual website] to secure your spot in your chosen division and bracket. The registration deadline is August 1st at 2:00 pm sharp, so don’t delay! A non-refundable registration fee of $35 gets you in the game, and as a bonus, you’ll receive a competition T-shirt and a fresh pack of guitar strings to keep you battle-ready. Backing tracks for the competition are also available on the registration site, giving you everything you need to prepare. Adult competitors are trusted to honestly assess their skill level and register in the appropriate division, ensuring a level playing field for everyone.
Eligibility: Are You Ready to Compete in Guitar Wars?
Before you register, make sure you meet the eligibility criteria to compete in Guitar Wars:
- Residency: You must be a resident of Arkansas.
- Guitar Provision: Competitors must bring their own guitar.
- Amateur Status: This is a competition for amateur guitar players only. Guitar teachers and professional musicians are not eligible. Specifically, you must not make more than 20% of your annual income from playing guitar.
- No Conflicts of Interest: You must not be related to any event judge or sponsor.
- Parental Consent (for Youth): Competitors under 18 years old must provide signed parental consent to participate.
Performance Guidelines: Gear Up for Guitar Glory
When it’s your turn to take the stage at Guitar Wars, here’s what you need to know about your performance:
- Guitar Choice: You can play acoustic or electric 6-string, 7-string, or 12-string guitars. Other guitar variations are not permitted.
- Looper Pedal: If you use a looper pedal, you will be judged in the Backing Track bracket.
- Amplification: A competition amplifier (Marshall half stack) will be provided on stage. All competitors must play through this amp to ensure consistency. You can bring your own pedalboard and effects to plug into the provided amp. Remember, you can switch between clean and distortion channels on the amp, but other settings are fixed.
- Performance Time: Solo guitar performances must not exceed 5 minutes. A timer will be strictly enforced.
- Tuning: You can play in standard tuning or any alternate tuning of your choice.
- Playing Style: Fingerstyle, pick, or slide playing are all permitted.
- Stage Readiness: Be in tune and ready to play before your name is called. A test amp will be available backstage for final gear checks.
- Minimize Delays: Any significant delay on stage (excluding string breakage) may result in point deductions.
- Punctuality: Late arrivals may be disqualified at the discretion of the organizers.
- Conduct: Inappropriate behavior will lead to immediate disqualification.
Judging Criteria: How to Win the Guitar Wars Battle
Our judges are established professional musicians and music educators from the Little Rock, Arkansas area. They will evaluate your performance based on the following criteria, totaling 100 points:
- Technical Ability/Accuracy (25 points): Precision, clean execution, and control over your instrument.
- Musicality (Dynamics/Tone) (25 points): Expression, phrasing, tone quality, and dynamic variation.
- Overall Difficulty (25 points): Complexity of the piece, techniques used, and level of challenge.
- Rhythmic Ability (25 points): Timing, groove, and rhythmic precision.
Judges also reserve the right to re-categorize competitors if they believe a contestant has registered in the wrong division, ensuring fair competition within each skill level.
Pro Tips for Guitar Warriors: Final Preparations
Before you step into the Guitar Wars arena, keep these crucial tips in mind for a winning performance:
- Amplifier Settings: You will not be able to adjust the amp settings beyond switching between clean and distortion. Familiarize yourself with this setup beforehand.
- Bring Your Tuner: You MUST bring your own tuner and ensure your guitar is perfectly in tune before entering the backstage area.
- Pedalboard Prep: Set up your pedalboard exactly as you want it before going backstage. And crucially, BRING AN EXTRA CABLE FOR BACKUP!
- Time Management: You have a strict 5-minute time limit on stage. Plan your performance accordingly and practice with a timer.
- Sportsmanship: Guitar Wars is about celebrating music and community. Support your fellow contestants, enjoy the experience, and have a good time! Stick around after your performance to cheer on other guitarists.
Guitar Wars is more than just a competition; it’s a celebration of guitar playing, a chance to test your skills, and an opportunity to connect with fellow musicians. Prepare to battle, showcase your talent, and may the best guitarist win!
