Rules and Regulations Governing

							                              Rules and Regulations Governing
                              Colorado Bandmasters Association
                                  Marching Band Festivals

Source: CBA Handbook – Regional and State Marching Band Festivals – page 4 – 10

Article I DEFINITIONS
Section 1 Band
All members of the competing unit including players, auxiliary personnel, equipment handlers, and
command personnel (drum majors, section leaders, etc.)

Section 2 Band Proper
Only those members of the band carrying or playing a musical instrument. (When a drum major picks up an
instrument he/she becomes a member of the band proper and is subject to the same rules as the members of
the band proper.)

Section 3 Competition Area
The area within and including the boundary lines of which the band competes.

Section 4 Competitive Area
The competitive field will be a regulation size football field, 160 feet wide by 300 feet long. The filed will
be lined every 5 yards and divided into thirds by hash marks. A standard set of yard markers will be used.
The grounding box or pit area is the area between the 35 yard lines, extending 5 yards from the front side
line. The grounding box is considered part of the performance area. Any member of the band proper can
go in and out of this area at any time during the band’s performance.

Article II FIELD ENTRANCE/EXIT
Section 1 Field Entrance
A field entrance may be made from the left, back and/or right boundaries. A band may opt to set up on the
field for their entrance. Both the band proper and the auxiliary units may form anywhere on or off the
competition field. The entire band must enter the competition field within 60 seconds of the start of their
performance.
Penalty: Up to five points at the discretion of the chief judge for violation of the boundary line rule.

Section 2 Field Exit
The field exit area is from the front boundary of from either side (left or right end zones). Units are free to
conclude their performance on/off the competition field, as long as all time requirements are met. They
have the option of exiting and reentering the filed after the minimum time as long as the performance is
concluded before the maximum time. At the conclusion of the performance, the band may exit the field to a
drum cadence or any other music as long as it does not impede the entrance of the next band.

Article III TIMING
Section 1 Reporting
All bands must report to the designated reporting location at the reporting time so that they will be able to
step off at their starting time. It is the responsibility of the band and not of the contest staff to check with
the contest coordinator to see if the contest is running “on time”. If the contest is running late the
coordinator can give the band an approximate time of performance. Do not bring your band
to the on-deck location until you have checked to see if the contest is on time.

Section 2 Minimum and Maximum Performance times
All bands must be in competition for a minimum of 7 minutes (6 minutes for 1A-2A) to a maximum of 11
minutes. This time may include any form of music performance and/or marching performance.
There is NO requirement of motion or stop time.
Penalty: .1 of 1 point for every 6 seconds for timing violations under the minimum or over the maximum
time.

Section 3 Timing and Judging
Timing and judging will begin with the first note of music or the first step of movement of the band
following the drum major salute. (Movement of the drum major is excluded.) All judging will cease with
the completion of the band’s performance with the exception of the Timing and Penalties judge. The band
must complete it’s performance within 11 minutes. Beginning in 1992 the band will no longer have a time
limit to leave the field. Beginning in 1992 the total band time on the field will be 13 minutes, which will
include, entrance, on field warmup, total performance, and exit. There will be no gun at the beginning of
the show or at the minimum time. All judges will judge to the conclusion of the show, whereas before, the
execution judges stopped at the gun. There is still a minimum show length of 7 minutes (6 minutes for 1A-
2A). There will be no gun at those marks, so time your show carefully.

Section 4 Boundary Violations
No member of the band may cross the boundary lines of the competitive area during the band’s
performance. (The designated equipment handlers do not have to follow this rule. They are completely
exempt of all boundary violations.) See Article 2 Section 1 for exceptions after the minimum time. Cross is
defined as stepping over or across. Stepping on the line is not a violation. However, a member can be
stepping on and crossing over at the same time. This would be a violation.
Penalty: .1 of 1 point per violation.

Section 5 Field Warm-up
The band is allowed an on field warm-up. There will be no signal from the timing and penalties judge
designating when the band should commence their warm-up. Be aware of the new rule (1992) that a band
has a total of 13 minutes total time on the field which includes entrance, warm-up, total performance, and
exit.

Section 6 Grounding Box
Beginning in 1984, there technically is no grounding box. The former grounding box, which was located
between the 35 yard lines extending five yards from the side lines is now considered part of the competition
field. Anyone may enter and exit this area with or without an instrument with no penalty. When a drum
major picks up an instrument he/she becomes a member of the band proper and subject to all boundary
rules of the band proper. (See Article I, Section 2) If a drum major wants to play an instrument, the
instrument must be retrieved and remain in the competitive field.

Article IV EQUIPMENT
Section 1 The use of mechanized vehicles, lights out routines, and pyrotechnics of any type, including
fireworks, discharge of arms or any hazardous material, shall not be permitted. No live animals are
permitted as part of the show.

Section 2 Dropped equipment of any kind will not be penalized by the timing and penalties judge.

Section 3 Dropped equipment may be retrieved by the designated equipment people from the band or CBA
official or judge. NO ONE is permitted on the field except those people.
Penalty: .1 of 1 point per infraction.

Section 4 Each band will be permitted to have up to four uniformed students as retrievers, for the purpose
of taking equipment on or off of the field during the band’s performance. Uniformed is defined as similar to
the band proper or auxiliary unit. These people do not have any boundary restrictions. They are simply
equipment people. Any member of the band proper whose function is changing from band proper to
equipment retriever must leave his/her instrument within the regular boundaries.
Penalty: .1 of 1 point per infraction.

Article V OPERATION RULES
Section 1 So as to avoid conflict with other bands in competition, any musical warm-up prior to the band’s
on field time, must be done in an area removed from the hearing range of the filed. If a band wants to
warm- up prior to their assigned warm-up time they must also be far enough away so as not to conflict with
the band in the assigned warm- up area.

Section 2 All setups (pre-grounded percussion, etc.) must be completed after the preceding band has exited
the field and before the band has begun its performance.

Section 3 A competing band director may conduct only from outside the boundary lines of the competitive
area. Any exceptions must be cleared with the Festival Director.
Penalty: For Section 1, 2, or 3, .1 of 1 point to maximum of 5 points at the discretion of the Festival
Director.

Section 4 Should it occur that a member of a competing band fall to the ground, there will be no penalty for
the fall or return to an upright position and resume marching.

Section 5 Competing directors may communicate only with the Festival Director or his designee. Directors
may not contact any judge during competition.

Section 6 A band exhibiting any extraordinary behavior, for which no specific rule or penalty is provided,
shall be penalized for each exhibition up to 5 points at the discretion of the Festival Director.

Section 7 Penalties imposed for various infraction will be deducted from the total accumulated score. This
score, after penalties are deducted, will determine final placement, rating, and rank.

Section 8 If two or more bands have tied in their final score, the higher placement will be awarded to the
band with the highest General Effect combined score (Visual and Music). If a tie still exists, the following
criteria will be used:

         A. Highest execution combined score (Visual and Music Ens. and Ind.)
         B. Highest raw score (Score before penalties)

Article VI USE OF THE NATIONAL COLORS
Section 1 Use of the National Colors is optional.

Section 2 Should the National Colors be used, the following rules apply:
         A. While in procession of the National Flag, the bearer shall not engage in any dance of theatrical
         steps.
         B. The National Flag shall never be permitted to touch the ground.
         C. The National Flag shall always be afforded the general respect and dignity associated with our
         national symbol.
Penalty: .1 of 1 point up to 5 points will only be assessed for flagrant, offensive violations at the discretion
of the Festival Director.

Article VII GUIDELINES FOR MARCHING FESTIVAL ETIQUETTE
A. Directors, parents, and students are to show the utmost respect and consideration for all bands at
marching festivals.
B. While viewing other groups in the stands, there should be minimal talking during another band’s
performance.

C. The audience should not be going up and down the aisles during a band performance. The audience
should treat the marching band performance the same as they do a concert performance.

D. Bands are to show utmost respect in the staging, warm-up and loading areas.

E. Bands are strongly encouraged to support each other, not treat each other as adversaries. Every band and
every student in those bands has put in countless hours preparing for “their” show. Everyone on that
festival field deserves to have a receptive and respectful audience and is deserving of the highest degree of
respect.

F. Band directors are to discuss this proper behavior and festival etiquette with their band and parent groups
before attending any festival. Any serious violation of respect for another band or band’s performance is
inappropriate and undermines what C.B.A. is trying to accomplish in teaching students about
individual and group excellence. Penalties may be assessed by the Festival Director at his discretion if
persistent and serious problems arise with a band or any one of its members or representatives, including
parent chaperones and staff members.

G. BAND DIRECTORS:THERE HAVE BEEN OCCASIONS IN THE PAST WHERE A STAFF
MEMBER (PERCUSSION, VISUAL, AUXILIARY, ETC.) HAS BEEN INVOLVED IN A
CONFRONTATION WITH FESTIVAL DIRECTORS OVER A PROCEDURE DURING A FESTIVAL.
IT IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY TO CONTROL YOUR STAFF. WHEN A STAFF MEMBER
REPRESENTS YOUR BAND HE/SHE REPRESENT YOU. A FESTIVAL DIRECTOR CAN AT ANY
TIME CHOOSE TO DISCUSS ANY PROBLEMS WITH THE DIRECTOR ONLY. IF THIS BECOMES
A PROBLEM, YOU DEAL WITH IT INTERNALLY. THERE WILL BE NO COMPROMISE ON THIS
ISSUE.
2007 CBA JUDGING AND ADJUDICATION

It is the position of Colorado Bandmasters Association that music is the more important aspect of the
Performance, with marching as the presentation and visual enhancement of the program. Similarly, more
emphasis has been placed on the effectiveness to the audience and to general effect judges, than on fine-
line perfection of the performance judges – which may be an aspect to work on for even better
effectiveness. Consequently, the weight of the numbers in the Colorado Bandmasters Association scoring
system places 60% of the value on music and 40% within the Performance Field. The point allotment for
the field competition is as follows:

20 points         Music Performance (Individual)
20 points         Music Performance (Ensemble)

20 points         Visual Performance (Individual)
20 points         Visual Performance (Ensemble)

20 points         Visual General Effect
40 points         Music General Effect
                  Timing and Penalties Judge

The two Music Performance judges have their scores averaged for a total of 20 possible points.
The two Visual Performance judges have their scores averaged for a total of 20 possible points.

MUSIC PERFORMANCE (INDIVIDUAL): One judge, located on the field. He is free to move around the
field. There is one judge in this caption. Evaluate the technical accuracy of the performance from an
individual perspective. (averaged with Music Performance Ensemble for 20 possible points)

MUSIC PERFORMANCE (ENSEMBLE): This judge is located in the stands or on the press box,
whichever location affords him the best vantage point. His location is fixed during the entire competition.
There is one judge in this caption. Evaluate the technical accuracy of the performance. Concerned
themselves with how the performers play together and the difficulty of the music being performed.
(averaged together with Music Performance Individual for 20 possible points)

VISUAL PERFORMANCE (INDIVIDUAL): This judge is located on the field. He is free to move about
the field. There is one judge in this caption. Determine the technically proficient marching groups. From
the perspective of the individual at field level who will give a score based on accuracy, how well the
individuals carry themselves and frequency and accessibility of their movement. (averaged with Visual
Performance Ensemble for 20 possible points)

VISUAL PERFORMANCE (ENSEMBLE): This judge is located in the stands or on the press box,
whichever location affords him the best vantage point. There is one judge in this caption. Determine the
technically proficient marching groups. Evaluate from an ensemble perspective a score based on
excellence balanced with the judgment of technical demand, with the consideration of content and
construction of the drill. (averaged with Visual Performance Individual for 20 possible points)

VISUAL GENERAL EFFECT: This judge is located in the press box. There is one judge in the caption
and his score is not averaged with any other score. Difficult task of determining how well the drill
(marching/formations) program interprets the music as well as the coordination of all the visual aspects of
the show. Scores the group based on how well they “sell” their show to the audience. (20 possible points)

MUSIC GENERAL EFFECT: There are two judges in this caption, and both are located in the press box.
Their scores are averaged. Evaluate how musically the performers play, how effective their performance is
relative to the other bands, and how well the whole show is “put together” or coordinated to present a
unified production. (20 possible points per judge, for a total of 40 possible points)
AUXILIARY JUDGE: This judge is located in the press box. Each group will receive a score on their
judging sheet, but those scores will NOT be added to the total band score and are for “best of” section
awards only.

PERCUSSION JUDGE: This judge is located on the field with access to the stands. He is free to move
throughout both areas. There is one judge in this caption. Evaluate the technical accuracy of the
performance. Concerned themselves with how the performers play together and the difficulty of the music
being performed. Each group will receive a score on their judging sheet, but those score will NOT be
added to the total band score and are for “best of” section awards only.

TIMING AND PENALITIES JUDGE: This judge is located on the field. He is free to move about the
field. He is responsible for any timing and penalty considerations of the show.