ANAPBA Tune Requirements

Common Band Music Requirements Recommendation (October 17, 1999)

  • Grade 1 — Two medleys (5 to 7 minutes); Two MSR sets
  • Grade 2 — One medley (4 to 6 minutes); Two MSR sets
  • Grade 3 — One medley (3 to 5 minutes); One MSR set
  • Grade 4 — One medley (3 to 5 minutes); One Quick March set (2 minutes, 45 seconds to 4 minutes, 30 seconds)

Common Solo Music Requirements Recommendation (October 27, 2000)

1. General Recommendations:

A. No specific recommendations will be given for entry-level grades. (Reason: at least 75% of the current differences are in these grades.)

B. "Professional" is the recommended name for what is currently referred to as an "Open" grade event. "Open" should be used to denote an event that is open to any player without jeopardizing their amateur status.

C. Member Associations or Games Sponsors may continue to offer "special" events not covered in this outline. However, special events will not be counted for Seasonal and/or Championship points.

D. All Associations are strongly encouraged to implement an active Competitive Grading Committee for the purpose of reviewing band and solo results to ensure the fair grading of their members. Associations currently using a Grading Committee are encouraged to offer their assistance and expertise to the Associations who do not have one in place. Each Grading Committee needs to share their decisions amongst the other ANAPBA Associations.

E. It is recommended that all Associations have four levels of Amateur Piobaireachd, at least four levels of Amateur Snare and two levels of Amateur Tenor.

2. Solo Piping Recommendations:

(Grades are listed from least skilled to most skilled. The music events within each grade are listed in the order of preference for offering events at Highland Games.)

A. Amateur Grade 3

1. 2/4 March
2. Strathspey & Reel
3. Piobaireachd
4. Jig
5. 6/8 March

B. Amateur Grade 2

1. March, Strathspey & Reel (submit two marches, one strathspey and one reel - play one of each)
OR two separate events:
- a 2/4 March event (submit two tunes - play one) and
- a Strathspey & Reel event (submit one of each tune)
2. Piobaireachd (submit two tunes - play one)
3. Hornpipe & Jig (submit one of each) OR
4. Jig (submit two tunes - play one)
5. 6/8 March (submit one)

C. Amateur Grade 1

1. March, Strathspey & Reel (submit two of each tune - play one of each)
OR two separate events:
- a 2/4 March event (submit two tunes - play one) and
- a Strathspey & Reel event (submit two of each tune - play one of each)
2. Piobaireachd (submit three tunes - play one)
3. Hornpipe & Jig (submit two of each tune - play one of each)
OR
4. Jig (submit two tunes - play one - selected tune to be played twice through, time permitting, with decision made by person responsible for scheduling events.)
5. 6/8 March (submit two - play one)

D. Professional

1. March, Strathspey & Reel (submit four of each tune - play one of each)
OR two separate events:
- a 2/4 March event (submit four tunes - play one) and
- a Strathspey & Reel event (submit four of each tune - play one of each)
2. Piobaireachd (submit four tunes - play one)
3. Hornpipe & Jig (submit three of each tune - play one of each) OR
4. Jig (submit four tunes - play one - selected tune to be played twice through, time permitting, with decision made by person responsible for scheduling events)
5. 6/8 March (submit three tunes - play two)

3. Solo Drumming Recommendations:

A. Snare Amateur 3

1. 2/4 March
2. 6/8 March

B. Snare Amateur

1. March, Strathspey & Reel
2. Hornpipe & Jig

C. Snare Amateur 1

1. March, Strathspey & Reel
2. Hornpipe & Jig
3. Drum Solo (two to four minutes)

D. Professional Snare

1. March, Strathspey & Reel (submit two sets - play one)
2. Hornpipe & Jig (submit two sets - play one)
3. Drum Solo (three to five minutes)

E. Tenor Amateur 1

1. March, Strathspey & Reel
2. Hornpipe & Jig

F. Professional Tenor

1. March, Strathspey & Reel
2. Hornpipe & Jig

4. Clarifying Rules/Recommendations:

A. In all instances, the minimum number of parts per light music tune is four.

B. The requirement for each event is to submit one tune of eachtype, except where noted.

C. Games Sponsors are encouraged to offer as many of the ANAPBA recommended events as possible per grade. Games Sponsors are encouraged to offer March, Strathspey & Reel, and Piobaireachd for all grades of piping listed above. When only one event in a grade of solo drumming is offered, the single event shall be the number 1 event listed above.

D. Professional Snare Drumming: For the MSR and H&J events, the Adjudicator shall be directed to make every effort to select the tunes to be performed no less than three hours prior to the start of the event. Furthermore, every effort should be made by games officials/stewards to immediately notify the competitors once the Adjudicator makes the selection. The purpose of this recommendation is to allow the competitor to notify his/her piping accompanist as to which selection will need to be played.

E. Professional and Amateur 1 Snare Drumming: In the "Drum Solo" event, the individual competitor shall perform only on a pipe band snare drum without any additional accompaniment.

F. Tenor Drumming: Games Sponsors are encouraged to conduct the Tenor Drumming events as individual competitor events, in the same style as piping and side drumming events. Additional Tenor Drumming events may be conducted with competitors playing simultaneously but only in addition to the individual competition and not as a replacement for it.

5. Implementation Timetable:

A. The Common Tune Requirements Committee recognizes the need to "blend-in" all of the recommended changes. Where we have generally increased the difficulty of a grade, we have given implementation more time. Where we have generally decreased the difficulty of a grade, we have allowed less time for full implementation. Of course, any Associations wishing to adopt these recommendations ahead of schedule are absolutely encouraged to do so!

B. We propose the following:

1. For implementation no later than the start of the 2002 competition year:
Piping: Professional and Amateur 1;
Snare: Amateur 2 & 3;
Tenor: Professional and Amateur 1.
2. For implementation no later than the start of the 2003 competition year:
Piping: Amateur 2 & 3;
Snare: Professional and Amateur 1.