The Rules
How to win it all...
The Canadian Air Guitar Championships and all the qualifying competitions organized within the authority of Air Guitar Canada will comply with the following rules:
1. The instrument of an Air Guitar player must be invisible, i.e. air.
2. An Air Guitarist may play an electric guitar or an acoustic one – or both.
3. Each competitor must participate in a qualifying round (excluding the champion of the previous year, who has direct access to the final) to compete for a place in the final.
4. In each regional competition, the competitors perform one song of their own choice. The judges select the best competitors from the regional qualifying competitions into the regional championships, and the winner of each championship will be rewarded with a ticket to Toronto for the Canadian Championships in July. Regional competitions may also follow the two round format outlined below.
5. In the final, the competitors perform two one-minute rounds:
Song of own choice (1 minute). The competitors must send their personally selected song to Air Guitar Canada no later than 24 hours prior to the Qualifier or Championships. The competitor may edit the song beforehand so that it lasts one minute, or alternatively let the organizers know the point from which to start playing the song.
Compulsory song (1 minute). Competitors will be informed of the selection (4-5 options) of possible compulsory song choices in the days prior to the competition via email. ALSO – the audience will vote via ballot at the beginning of the night for their AUDIENCE CHOICE compulsory round number that will be announced prior to the final round.
ORGANIZER OPTION for Compulsory Round - Those competitors who make it to the Compulsory Round can be asked to choose their song at random via ‘draw from a hat’ or another randomized mechanism.
6. Personal Air Roadies are allowed. Backing groups – real or Air Groups – are not allowed. Once the competitor’s 60 seconds begins, they must be the only participant on stage. The dress code for an Air Guitar player is free (while abiding with local laws and regulation) and they may use additional props in any way they desire. An Air Guitar player may use a real pick or play by strumming or finger picking.
THE ASSHOLE CLAUSE - Any actions which may cause risk of harm to a competitor, organizer, the audience, or anyone else is grounds for immediate removal from the competition at any time. It’s easy, just don’t be an asshole. It’s not very punk rock of you.
7. Judges:
The jury of the Canadian Air Guitar Championships is carefully selected by the Air Guitar Advisory Board. The judges use the following criteria for evaluation:
Originality;
the Ability to be Taken Over by the Music;
Stage Charisma;
Technique,
Artistic Impression; and
Airness.
The performances are scored with the figure skating scoring method, i.e. the judges give points on a scale from 4.0 to 6.0. The scores from the judges are added together and the person with the most points wins. If two or more contestants end up having the same score, they have to play an extra round. The contestant who scores the most points in the extra round wins the championship. If the result is a tie also after the extra round, the one who scored most points in the Compulsory Round of the concerned competitors is considered the winner. If these results are also equal, the competitors concerned will be considered tied. The jury evaluates the competitors according to their own judgment and taste. The decisions of the jury are final.
8. Participation:
Participation in the Canadian Air Guitar Championships is open to all residents of Canada with an ability to fulfill the condition of representing Canada at the World Air Guitar Championships in Oulu, Finland. If an official Regional qualifying competition is arranged in the Air Guitar player’s home province / city, the competitor must participate in it. The competitors take part in the competition at their own risk.
9. National Championship:
There will only be one official national championship competition in Canada. The winner of the Canadian Championships is guaranteed direct access to the finals of the Air Guitar World Championships in Oulu, Finland without qualifying, along with airfare and accommodations. The organizers of the Provincial / Regional Championships will agree to respect the ideology of air guitar playing and this declaration as Official Rules and judging criteria, and will commit themselves to spread the ideology in their own regional competitions. Regional competitions are strongly encouraged to contribute to the charitable mission of Air Guitar Canada.
10. Prizes:
The prizing of the Canadian Air Guitar Regionals & Championships will be announced at various times through out the season. Check the website for prizing announcements.
11. The obligations of the Canadian Champion:
The Canadian Air Guitar Champion must carry the joyful tidings of the Air Guitar forward and thus promote Canadian virtues and World Peace. A Canadian Champion may, at any time, have their title revoked by Air Guitar Canada for any reason, including acting against Air Guitar Canada’s mandate and message of World Peace.
The Brave Souls.
Regional Competitions may or may not include a Brave Souls Round. This is the chance for anyone and everyone to be a part of their Regional Championship - Brave Souls don’t have to sign up in advance. A Brave Soul Competitor can choose a song from our list of 60 second options and join in on the fun right then and there at the venue and live their rock god fantasy. Brave Souls have gone on to win Regional Championships and even been National Champions!
Winners of the Brave Souls Round advance immediately to the Compulsory Round alongside their fellow competitors from the first “song of own choice” round in competitions that follow the two round format.
The Dark Horse Round.
The Canadian National Championships include a Dark Horse Round - an opportunity for people from across the country who have not won a Regional Competition one last shot to qualify for the national title. The Dark Horse Round takes place at the very start of the National Championships and those that advance will be entered into the first round along with other Regional Champions. Dark Horses can never be underestimated.
Those that enter into the Dark Horse Round must prepare two 60 second performances in advance, as proceeding into the first round of the National Championships occurs immediately.