Rules

Rules of the Air Guitar World Championships

The Air Guitar World Championships and all the national competitions held in connection with it obey the following rules:

1. INVISIBLE INSTRUMENT

The instrument of the contestant must be invisible, in other words – air. The contestant can use an electric or an acoustic air guitar, or both.

2. FINALISTS

The champions of the licensed national competitions are admitted directly into the World Final. The reigning World Champion is admitted directly into the World Final, if they wish to defend their championship title.

All other contestants must participate in the Dark Horses Qualifying Round. In the Qualifying Round each contestant will perform one song of their choosing. The duration of the song must be exactly one (1) minute. The contestants with the highest jury points will qualify to compete at the world final. The number of contestants admitted to the final is specified yearly by the event organizer.

3. THE COURSE OF THE COMPETITION

The contestants qualified from the Dark Horses perform first in the final, in an order determined by drawing lots. After this the national champions perform, also in an order determined by drawing lots.

The final consists of two rounds. Eight (8) contestants finishing first round with the highest score will move on to the second round of the final.

The contestants perform two songs in two separate rounds. The duration of each song is 60 seconds.

First Round
Competed using an optional song edited to last exactly one (1) minute, and submitted to the organizers before the competition. The song must be submitted  in the format specified by the organizers (check Competition Song page).

Second Round
Competed using an obligatory song pre-chosen by the organizers, which the contestants hear right before the beginning of the second round. The obligatory song is also exactly one (1) minute long. 

4. THE JURY

The jury is selected by the event organizer.

The jury will score the performances with the following aspects reviewed: originality, the ability to be taken over by the music, stage presence, technical merit, artistic impression and Airness.

Each member of the jury will score the performances between the scale of 4.0 and 6.0. Each contestant’s scores from the first and second round will be added together and the contestant with the highest total score wins.

The jury will score the performances based on their own personal deliberation and preferences, and the decisions are not open for complaints.

5. ADDITIONAL DETAILS

Air Guitar World Championships is a solo competition, so only one (1) contestant competes at a time. Personal air roadies are allowed. Backup bands – real or air bands – are not allowed.

Contestants can take up to ten (10) seconds on stage to set the scene and/or build character before the song starts. The song starts when the contestant puts up one hand with a finger pointing up – OR when ten (10) seconds has passed.

Ties will be solved with an Air Off, if one or more contestant has the same amount of points at the end of either round. The contestants will hear the Air Off song selected by the organizers once, after which the contestant going first will be determined for example by the rock-paper-scissors method.

There is no dress code, and the contestants may use props as they wish. However – any real musical instruments are forbidden, as well as using any props as a guitar or as a substitute of one. The contestant may use a real pick or play in a finger picking style. Any props used, must be taken off the stage at the end of the performance. There can not be any confetti, theatre glass or something similar left on stage after the performance.

The contestant is responsible for clearing the rights to edit the competition song(s) as well as for other possible copyrights linked to their performance. In Finland the organization responsible for music copyrights and licenses is Teosto. Airnest Productions takes care of the music licenses of the live events.

The contestant is obligated to sign a contestant contract with Airnest Productions Ltd. The contract defines the contestant’s rights and duties. The contestants will sign the contract prior to the competition, at the air guitarist’s info session.

Airnest Productions Ltd. reserves the right to change these rules.