Scioly.org

hm... i heard somewhere that instruments only had a one year warranty
not that i would want to reuse my marimba from last yr...

So basicaly, we can re-use instruments and use any type of instrument (besides electric ones)

Are there any rules that may alter my plans of a guitar/banjo and xylophone
-btw i know i spelled it wrong, just dont want to look it up-

Well, you can re-use instruments, but personally I wouldn't do so. But yea, all kinds of non-electric instruments are allowed this year.

The only rule that might get in the way of your instrument ideas - it would likely only apply to the xylo - is 3d ("Instruments must be able to go through a standard 80cm door without alteration or disassembly...").

AlphaTauri wrote:Well, you can re-use instruments, but personally I wouldn't do so. But yea, all kinds of non-electric instruments are allowed this year.

The only rule that might get in the way of your instrument ideas - it would likely only apply to the xylo - is 3d ("Instruments must be able to go through a standard 80cm door without alteration or disassembly...").

I'd like to gently nudge everyone to take a look at General Rule #7 (printed on the inside back cover of the rules manual and http://soinc.org/ethics_rules ): One or more of the 15 current team members must have constructed all pre-built devices presented for judging.

when they say alteration/ disassembly, what do they mean specifically? I saw a team last year that made a hinge in the middle of their marimba so it would fit through tight corners. Does that count as alteration? I guess you can't bring lots a bars and a table this year.

doctor wrote:when they say alteration/ disassembly, what do they mean specifically? I saw a team last year that made a hinge in the middle of their marimba so it would fit through tight corners. Does that count as alteration? I guess you can't bring lots a bars and a table this year.

First, this is not the place for official clarifications, etc. etc. However, I'd think alteration means any change from a 'ready to play' configuration.

Can we use pre made pieces as long as they are not manufactured by a company and have the company logo

30reaganm wrote:Can we use pre made pieces as long as they are not manufactured by a company and have the company logo

How can a piece be premade yet not manufactured by a company? Regardless, 3.b. seems pretty clear in that it prohibits professional instruments or parts of them.

If people are going to be so interested in string instruments, might it somehow be a disadvantage to have a string instrument? Won't judges get tired of seeing/hearing them? Or if that reading too much into it?

Also, if you have to instruments that sound great individually but don't sound great together (an ancient instrument vs a modern instrument), would they really take off? How much?

Thanks!

I think at some point in your decision-making process you should consider how common your instrument might be, but realistically you can find success with a common instrument if you make it well. I would not specifically avoid string instruments for that reason though. With the freedom in the rules this year, I don't think any particular instrument will be as common as some were in the past with restrictive rules, and within the domain of string instruments there are lots of creative options to choose from.

To the other question: yes, they might take off for that, but it would not be a huge penalty. If they both sound beautiful, there is probably enough of a "wow factor" that they wouldn't be too harsh on them sounding poor together. I'm having trouble imagining that they would sound that poor together if they both sound great alone.