Mayville Bluegrass Festival
Flatpicking and Mandolin Contest Rules
Contest will be open to anyone except those directly involved with running the contest or the bluegrass festival, and their close family members. Contestants may enter the contest provided they are registered before the deadline.
Since we must limit the number of contestants we can handle in the contest, WE WILL ACCEPT ONLY TWENTY CONTESTANTS. THIS WILL BE THE FIRST TWENTY CONTESTANTS REGISTERED. REGISTRATION WILL CLOSE AFTER THIS NUMBER IS REACHED. Contestants will be provided a weekend pass which will be included in the entry fee.
Contestants must play only acoustic instruments. No electrical instruments will be allowed. Contestants may have one rhythm instrument for accompaniment. Contestants will not be allowed to take two instruments on stage. Selection committee reserves the right to eliminate contestants whose style of playing and selection of material is not in keeping with the flavor of the festival. Bluegrass instrumentals only are appropriate. A MEDLEY OF TUNES IS NOT ACCEPTABLE.
In an effort to judge the contest objectively and equally, the following criteria will be considered by the judges and assigned point value in each area:
40 points 1. ARRANGEMENT- Contestants version of the
tune selected. Is it appropriate to the tune and
instrument? Difficulty and originality will be
considered.
40 points 2. EXECUTION, TUNING- Fingering, picking and
dynamics will be considered. Is the instrument
in tune?
10 points 3. SHOW VALUE- The music should be played
with life and feeling. It should not appear list-
less nor should it drag.
10 points 4. OVERALL IMPRESSION
Contestants will be prepared to play four instrumental numbers in traditional fiddle tune or bluegrass style. Two numbers will be played in the first round and the other two in the final round should the contestant be selected as a finalist.
ALL contestants must play with a FLAT PICK. NO FINGER PICKING WILL BE ALLOWED. NO COMBINATION OF FLAT PICKING AND FINGER PICKING WILL BE ALLOWED. The alteration or the tuning of the low E (6th) string will be permitted. The low E (6th) string can be changed to any note desired, not limiting the tuning of the 6th string to "Drop D" or a low D note but to any desired pitch. No other string tuning or variance from the standard E (1), B (2), G(3), D (4), A (5), will be permitted. Some slight, overall variance from concert pitch (A=440) will be tolerated. Standard or traditional style capos may be used, but no capos which allow the alteration of individual strings, such as the Third Hand Capo, will be allowed. For the mandolin contest, standard tuning applies.
WE WILL ACCEPT CONTEST REGISTRATIONS UNTIL ONE HOUR BEFORE SCHEDULED CONTEST TIME OR UNTIL TWENTY CONTESTANTS ARE REGISTERED. All contestants may pre-register for the contest by returning the entry form with the $25.00 fee. Order of appearance will be determined by drawing a number one-half hour before the contest begins. If there are nine or fewer contestants registered, contestants will play three tunes and judges will place winners without the additional tune. Score cards will NOT be given out.
Contestants are not allowed to speak on stage.
Contestants will have a time limit of 7 minutes to play 2 tunes. If nine or fewer contestants are registered, contestants will have 9 minutes to play 3 tunes. This includes time in between tunes.
ALL CONTESTANTS MUST BE AT THE CONTEST SITE AT 1/2 HOUR BEFORE THE START OF THE CONTEST. Anyone not there on time will not be allowed to play in the contest and will forfeit their application money, so please be on time.
