MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS: STRINGED

MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS: STRINGED
(Revised 1/98)

Includes lutes, harps, dulcimers, harpsichords, etc. Judges may wish to consult Woodwork criteria for standards on techniques.

Novice Intermediate Advanced

MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS: STRINGED - NOVICE

DOCUMENTATION (0-4 points) Must have at least a 3X5 card. More is acceptable. Give one point for each of the following that is present::

Identification/Description of the entry.
Approximate date and place/nationality in history that the entry is modeled upon.
Lists use(s) of the entry.
Cites at least one reference, either illustrative (pictures) or descriptive, relating to either A) period use of such item OR B) period method of constructing such item OR C) both A & B.

AUTHENTICITY (0-4 points) Most stringed instruments are period in some form. Authenticity rests with detail and emphasis. Obviously out-of-period: machine tuners, spray lacquers, synthetic varnishes.

0:Blatantly modern in any aspect (e.g. design or materials).
1:Generally period, with some obviously modern elements present (e.g. trapezoidal violin with machine tuners or urethane varnish) OR obvious mixture of elements from different cultures or periods (e.g. Florentine decorative motifs on a Saxon harp, tropical woods in Northern European instruments, etc.).
2:Overall period style and execution, with minor inconsistencies (Appalachian dulcimer with friction tuners and French polish finish).
3:Period materials, design and execution with no inconsistencies; the general run of duplicates of period instruments.
4:Special effort to achieve a completely period product by use of one or more of the following: period design, materials, tools, techniques, etc. (e.g. entrant made own tools to construct instrument or constructed handmade strings).

COMPLEXITY (1-5 points) Rank the ambition of the attempt, NOT the workmanship, on a scale of 1 to 5 based on the following:

String attachment: how many, how much tension put on frame, etc.
Frame construction: bending, shaping, bracing, joining, etc.
Difficulty and variety of materials used.
Difficulty and variety of tools used.
Difficulty and variety of construction techniques used.
Difficulty and variety of decorative techniques used.
Finishing techniques used.
Interaction/coordination of various parts.
Number and variety of design elements.
Additional construction: bows, tuners, plectra, etc. Top scores for multiple moving parts (e.g. harpsichord action).
Amount of time involved including research and material preparation.
Intricacy of creating an object in the size/scale utilized in the entry. (Remember that all sizes are difficult because in small scale it is difficult to get details and in large scale, any minor flaw shows noticeably.)

WORKMANSHIP (1-5 points)Rank the success of the attempt on a scale of 1 to 5 based on the following:

Ability of entry to serve intended function.
Ability of entry to hold up in use.
Sound: tone quality consistent and on-key; no bu
es.
Appearance: aesthetics, balance, "feel" in hand, decoration.
Attention to details and neatness.
Appropriate application of design(s).
Appropriate choice of materials.
Construction and handling of material: gluing, shaping, assembly, etc.; fingerboard or frets straight; soundboard ideally glued with hide glue to ease repair. NOTE: acoustics often require gluing pieces with grain at right angles.
Finishing: finish should protect against finger oils; outside corners and edges should be chamfered or even purfled.

CREATIVITY (1-6 points)

1:Project is NOT logical to context of period.
2:Project fits the context of period, but an adequate understanding of the item being created is missing OR was created from a kit with no changes (unembellished instrument made with standard process from commercially available plans).
3:Logical combination of copied elements OR created from a kit, but has personal variations to ornamentation (standard piece plus decoration).
4:Evidence of original work logical to period context, in design, execution or embellishment OR its origin was a kit, but has been greatly altered both in pattern and in ornamentation (plans altered to fit period standards).
5:Project is mostly original application of period or SCA Known World designs (entrant designed own plans) OR is an exact reproduction of a period item.
6:Project is an original application of period or SCA Known World designs, materials, techniques and tools as might have been done by a creative period craftsman. (You've never seen one like it, but wouldn't be surprised to find a Botticelli angel playing one.)

QUALITY (1-6 points) Evaluate the work as a whole.

NOTE: This category is subjective; however, the judge should take into account prior category scores, aesthetic appeal, presentation, and other such items not previously addressed. Keep in mind that this entry is at Novice Level.

MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS: STRINGED - INTERMEDIATE

DOCUMENTATION (0-4 points)Must have at least 1 page; 2-3 pages preferable. More is acceptable. Give one point for each of the following that is present:

Identification/Description of the entry plus the approximate date and place/nationality in history that the entry is modeled upon.
Statement or listing of materials used in entry's construction and use(s) of the entry.
Describes method(s) used to create entry (may include reasons for why a certain process or material was used).
Cites at least two references, either illustrative (pictures) or descriptive, relating to either A) period use of such item OR B) period method of constructing such item OR C) both A & B.

AUTHENTICITY (0-4 points) Most stringed instruments are period in some form. Authenticity rests with detail and emphasis. Obviously out-of-period: machine tuners, spray lacquers, synthetic varnishes.

0:Blatantly modern in any aspect (e.g. design or materials).
1:Generally period, with some obviously modern elements present (e.g. trapezoidal violin with machine tuners or urethane varnish) OR obvious mixture of elements from different cultures or periods (e.g. Florentine decorative motifs on a Saxon harp, tropical woods in Northern European instruments, etc.).
2:Overall period style and execution, with minor inconsistencies (Appalachian dulcimer with friction tuners and French polish finish).
3:Period materials, design and execution with no inconsistencies; the general run of duplicates of period instruments.
4:Special effort to achieve a completely period product by use of some of the following: period design, materials, tools, techniques, etc. (e.g. entrant made own tools to construct instrument or constructed handmade strings).

COMPLEXITY (1-5 points) Rank the ambition of the attempt, NOT the workmanship, on a scale of 1 to 5 based on the following:

String attachment: how many, how much tension put on frame, etc.
Frame construction: bending, shaping, bracing, joining, etc.
Difficulty and variety of materials used.
Difficulty and variety of tools used.
Difficulty and variety of construction techniques used.
Difficulty and variety of decorative techniques used.
Finishing techniques used.
Interaction/coordination of various parts.
Number and variety of design elements.
Additional construction: bows, tuners, plectra, etc. Top scores for multiple moving parts (e.g. harpsichord action).
Amount of time involved including research and material preparation.
Intricacy of creating an object in the size/scale utilized in the entry. (Remember that all sizes are difficult because in small scale it is difficult to get details and in large scale, any minor flaw shows noticeably.)

WORKMANSHIP (1-5 points)Rank the success of the attempt on a scale of 1 to 5 based on the following:

Ability of entry to serve intended function.
Ability of entry to hold up in use.
Sound: tone quality consistent and on-key; no bu
es.
Appearance: aesthetics, balance, "feel" in hand, decoration.
Attention to details and neatness.
Appropriate application of design(s).
Appropriate choice of materials.
Construction and handling of material: gluing, shaping, assembly, etc.; fingerboard or frets straight; soundboard ideally glued with hide glue to ease repair. NOTE: acoustics often require gluing pieces with grain at right angles.
Finishing: finish should protect against finger oils; outside corners and edges should be chamfered or even purfled.

CREATIVITY (1-4 points)

1:Logical combination of copied elements OR created from a kit, but has personal variations to ornamentation (standard piece plus decoration).
2:Evidence of original work logical to period context, in design, execution or embellishment OR its origin was a kit, but has been greatly altered both in pattern and in ornamentation (plans altered to fit period standards).
3:Project is mostly original application of period or SCA Known World designs (entrant designed own plans) OR is an exact reproduction of a period item.
4:Project is an original application of period or SCA Known World designs, materials, techniques and tools as might have been done by a creative period craftsman. (You've never seen one like it, but wouldn't be surprised to find a Botticelli angel playing one.)

QUALITY (1-8 points) Evaluate the work as a whole.

NOTE: This category is subjective; however, the judge should take into account prior category scores, aesthetic appeal, presentation, and other such items not previously addressed. Keep in mind that this entry is at Intermediate Level, regardless of the skill of the entrant.

MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS: STRINGED - ADVANCED DOCUMENTATION (0-4 points)

0:No documentation or very inaccurate documentation.
1:Minimum information (time, place, type of instrument).
2:Same as #1 with at least one reference to a period example, but little or no discussion of period construction; OR same as #1 plus discussion of period practices but no period examples cited.
3:Same as #1 plus period examples (visual references are best) and discussion of period construction methods.
4:Same as #3 but very complete examples and discussion, including rationale for all design elements, construction techniques and materials used. Explains original research or experiment. Explains any deviations or variations from period norm.

AUTHENTICITY (0-4 points) Most stringed instruments are period in some form. Authenticity rests with detail and emphasis. Obviously out-of-period: machine tuners, spray lacquers, synthetic varnishes.

0:Blatantly modern in any aspect (e.g. design or materials).
1:Generally period, with some obviously modern elements present (e.g. trapezoidal violin with machine tuners or urethane varnish) OR obvious mixture of elements from different cultures or periods (e.g. Florentine decorative motifs on a Saxon harp, tropical woods in Northern European instruments, etc.).
2:Overall period style and execution, with minor inconsistencies (Appalachian dulcimer with friction tuners and French polish finish).
3:Period materials, design and execution with no inconsistencies; the general run of duplicates of period instruments.
4:Special effort to achieve a completely period product by use of period design, materials, tools, techniques, etc. (e.g. entrant made own tools and replicated an extant period instrument, complete with handmade strings).

COMPLEXITY (0-6 points) Rank the ambition of the attempt, NOT the workmanship, on a scale of 0 to 6 based on the following:

String attachment: how many, how much tension put on frame, etc.
Frame construction: bending, shaping, bracing, joining, etc.
Additional construction: bows, tuners, plectra, etc. Top scores for multiple moving parts, e.g. harpsichord action.
Finish and decoration.
Scope of endeavor (size of work relative to amount of detail).

WORKMANSHIP (0-6 points) Rank the success of the entry on a scale of 0-6 based on the following:

Construction and handling of material: gluing, shaping, assembly, etc.; fingerboard or frets straight; soundboard ideally glued with hide glue to ease repair. NOTE: acoustics often require gluing pieces with grain at right angles.
Finishing: finish should protect against finger oils; outside corners and edges should be chamfered or even purfled.
Sound: tone quality consistent and on-key; no bu
es.
Appearance: aesthetics, balance, "feel" in hand, decoration.

CREATIVITY (0-4 points)

0:Unembellished instrument made with standard process from commercially available plans; OR piece isn't logical in context of period.
1:Logical combination of copied elements; e.g. standard piece plus decoration.
2:Evidence of original work logical to period context, in design, execution or embellishment; plans altered to fit period standards.
3:Creative interpolation in design, construction or combination of elements; much innovation logical to period context; entrant designed own plans.
4:Original, innovative combination of period materials, techniques, tools and designs, as might have been done by a creative period craftsman. (You've never seen one like it, but wouldn't be surprised to find a Botticelli angel playing one.)

QUALITY (1-6 points) Evaluate the work as a whole.

NOTE: This category is subjective; however, the judge should take into account prior category scores, aesthetic appeal, presentation, intuitive response, and other such items not previously addressed.