Competing in the Online Regionals?

For detailed entry, video submission and judging rules, click here.

2021 Rules

This season, all Regionals will be conducted online and streamed live on Twitch. All competitors will submit video performances in advance, but judging will happen live.

Two winners from each Regional advance to the National Finals, where the 2021 US Air Guitar Champion will be crowned.

The National Finals date and location will be announced soon, and may or may not take place in person, depending on public health

Video Submission Criteria

Requirements:

  • Videos must be shot in standard 16:9 landscape format (portrait format will not be accepted)

  • The total length of each track must be no longer than 60 seconds

  • The total length of each video must be no longer than 90 seconds

  • Each video must be taken in one shot with one camera

  • Competitors may NOT edit or add after-effects to performance videos with the one exception of overdubbing your audio for better sound quality

  • Competitors cannot process effects onto their videos as they are shot: i.e. no Instagram or Snapchat filters, no digital overlays, no slow motion or time lapse

As in live shows, there may only be 1 person playing air guitar or performing to the track

  • There may be assistants off camera helping with the staging of the performance

  • It’s ok if other people appear in the frame in the background, or as “crowd”

  • But other members of an air band, dancers or other performers are not allowed

 Standard Rules of Play

US Air Guitar contests each consist of two rounds:

  • Round 1 (freestyle): each competitor performs to a song of their choice

  • Round 2 (compulsory): top competitors from round 1 perform surprise song

This year’s online Regionals will abide by the standard US Air Guitar performance rules:

  • Each performance is played to 1 minute (60 sec.) of a song

  • The 60 seconds can start anywhere in the song

  • The instrument must be invisible & must be a guitar

  • Air roadies are allowed, but must leave the stage before the performance

  • Back-up bands (air or real) are not allowed

  • Round 1 (freestyle): each competitor performs to a song of their choice, with top 5 advancing to round 2

  • Round 2 (compulsory): advancing competitors from round 1 will perform surprise song

 Judging Criteria

For each Regional, there is a jury of independent judges. The results of the jury cannot be protested. All performances are scored on a scale from 4.0 to 6.0, with 6.0 being the highest possible. Scores are given to one decimal point (e.g. 5.4, not 5.48). A single score is given to each air guitarist based on their overall performance in that round. The scores from BOTH ROUNDS are added to determine the contestants’ final scores. This combined score determines the winner.

The score reflects the quality of the performance based on three key criteria:

1. Technical merit

You don’t have to know what notes you’re playing, but the more your invisible fretwork corresponds to the music that’s playing, the better the performance.

2. Stage presence

Anyone can do it in the privacy of their bedroom. Few have what it takes to rock a crowd of hundreds or even thousands – all without an instrument.

3 Airness

The last criteria is the most difficult to define yet often the most decisive of all. Airness is defined as the extent to which a performance transcends the imitation of a real guitar and becomes an art form in and of itself.

Prizes

The top two competitors from each Regional will get a slot in the 2021 National Finals

  • And if held live, will receive a stipend for travel to the Finals

  • The winner of the National Finals will receive

    • A free trip to Finland to represent Team USA at the Air Guitar World Championships (if the AGWC are held in 2021 — announcements haven’t yet been made)

    • Possession of the US Air Guitar title belt, until a new US Champion is crowned, and the belt is passed to the new champ