A solo performance on a plucked string instrument such as guitar, ukulele, harp or mandolin, judged on tone, fretting and picking technique, rhythm and musicality, run as a rating out of 10 for teens or a score out of 100 for youth.
Plucked strings are instruments whose strings are set sounding by the fingers, a thumb or a pick rather than a bow. The acoustic or electric guitar is by far the most common entry, but the label also fits the ukulele, bass guitar, mandolin, banjo, harp and similar instruments. One player performs a chosen piece, either accompanying their own singing-free melody or playing a full arrangement that carries tune and harmony together.
What sets it apart from Strings Bowed is where the sound is shaped. With no bow, the note begins at the instant of the pluck or strum and then fades, so a panel listens to how cleanly each note starts, how evenly it rings, and whether the fretting hand presses accurately enough to avoid buzz or muted strings. Chord changes, rhythm patterns, fingerpicking and single-note lines all show up at once, which is why steady timing matters so much.
A round is simple to run. The player is called, tunes quickly, and plays. A slow hymn-style or folk arrangement shows tone and clean chords; a quicker piece shows picking speed and rhythm control. Organisers should say in the event notice whether the player must bring their own instrument, whether an amplifier is provided for electric instruments, and whether a backing track or accompanist is allowed, because none of that is fixed by the template.
Two eTalenter templates carry it. A teen talent template offers it to ages 13 to 19, English, open to both genders, scored as a rating out of 10 with no time limit printed. A Jamaican community talent template offers it in a Youth group for ages 13 to 40, both genders, English, scored as Marks out of 100, again with no time limit printed. Both set it as an individual item, listed separately from bowed strings, woodwind and brass because each family needs its own technique and its own marking.
Where Strings Plucked is run
On eTalenter this item appears in two templates: a teen talent template for ages 13 to 19 and a Jamaican community talent showcase template whose Youth group runs from 13 to 40. As a format, a solo plucked-strings slot is common in school and community music festivals, talent showcases, youth programmes and open-mic style competitions wherever a player can bring their own instrument.
- Jamaica
- Worldwide
Key facts
- Individual item: one player, one performance, one score
- Teen talent template: ages 13 to 19, English, both genders, rating out of 10, no time limit printed
- Jamaican community template: Youth group 13 to 40, English, both genders, Marks out of 100, no time limit printed
- Neither template sets a time limit, so the organiser should state one in the event notice
- The label is not restricted by the templates: guitar, ukulele, bass, mandolin, banjo and harp are all plausible entries
- Separate from Strings Bowed, which is its own item
On eTalenter, Strings Plucked is filed under Music and typically scored with Marks, Rating out of 10. It appears in 2 ready-made event templates — each one can adjust its time limit, age-group assignment and scoring setup independently.
Across the templates that use it, Strings Plucked is most often entered as an Individual competition, typically scored out of 100.
What judges look at in Strings Plucked
What a Strings Plucked panel is actually weighing up, and where the marks are usually won or lost:
- Tone and clarity: notes that ring cleanly without buzz, dead strings or a harsh pick attack
- Fretting and chord accuracy: accurate finger placement and clean chord changes without stops or fumbles
- Picking or strumming technique: even fingerpicking, controlled strumming patterns and confident single-note lines
- Rhythm and tempo: a steady pulse that does not rush easy bars or stall at difficult changes
- Musical expression: dynamics, phrasing and variety of attack that shape the piece rather than playing every bar the same
- Presentation and finish: a quick tune-up, a calm start, good posture and a clear ending
- Each template prints one total or one rating and no split, so a panel wanting separate headings agrees them first
Treat these as the judging focus, not a fixed rubric: publish your own weighted criteria for Strings Plucked under Scoring Setup, or start from the full instrumental music judging criteria guide.
How to prepare for Strings Plucked
How entrants and their teachers usually get Strings Plucked right on the day:
- Choose a piece you can play cleanly from start to finish, with at least one section that shows tone and one that shows rhythm
- Tune with a tuner before every practice and learn to tune in under half a minute on the day
- Practise slowly with a metronome, raising the speed in small steps, until chord changes happen on the beat with no gaps
- Record yourself and listen for buzz, rushed beats and muted strings, then fix those before polishing anything else
- Check with the organiser whether you bring your own instrument, whether an amplifier or lead is provided, and whether a backing track is allowed
- Pack spare strings, picks, a capo, a tuner and a lead, and change strings a few days before so they have settled
- If the event sets a time limit, time the full piece with a stopwatch and trim it rather than risk being cut off
- Rehearse the first four bars and the last chord on their own, since a calm entry and a clean ending shape the impression
Frequently asked questions
Is Strings Plucked judged individually or as a team?
Across eTalenter's templates it's most often run as an Individual entry, though an organiser can set either participation type when assigning the item to an age group.
Is Strings Plucked the same as Strings Bowed?
No. Plucked strings are played with the fingers or a pick, as on a guitar or ukulele, while bowed strings are played with a bow, as on a violin or cello. Each is its own item with its own marking.
Which instruments can I play in Strings Plucked?
The templates do not name an instrument. Guitar is the usual entry, but the label is generally understood to cover other plucked instruments too, so check the event notice or ask the organiser if you play something unusual.
How long is a Strings Plucked performance?
Neither template that carries it prints a time limit, so the organiser should state one in the event notice.
Is Strings Plucked judged individually or as a team?
Individually. Both templates set it as an individual item, one player and one score, with the teen template using a rating out of 10 and the youth template Marks out of 100.
Want the full judging picture? Read the full instrumental music judging criteria guide, or browse every music competition item.
Try Strings Plucked in eTalenter
See every ready-made template that runs Strings Plucked, and install one as a live event — age groups, rules and scoring included.
