Some Frequently Asked Questions to consider:
{tab=Rules and Operation}
Questions on the rules and by-laws are available here.
{slide=Q. Where are the MWPBA rules and by laws?} A. The current rules and by laws are here.{/slide}
{slide=Q. I have a question on the MWPBA rules and by laws that does not seem to be addressed? Who do I contact?} A. Please email the MWPBA President with your question. {/slide}
{slide=Q. Who are the MWPBA officers and volunteers?} A. A full list is available here. {/slide}
{slide=Q. What is the MWPBA postal address?}A. The postal address is available here.{/slide}
{tab=Solos}
{slide=Q. What is my MWPBA solo membership number?}A. Check out the list of Soloists. This information would also have been emailed to you.{/slide}
{slide=Q. I did not receive my MWPBA solo membership card in the mail.}A. The MWPBA no longer sends physical cards, and does not require them to be carried and produced at events. If you need one, it was in your membership email.{/slide}
{slide=Q. I have a question about my solo grade. Who should I ask?} A. Contact the Music Board chair, not the Solo Registrar. Take a look at the Grading FAQs first.{/slide}
{slide=Q. Can I just ask the Solo Registrar about my solo grade?} A. No. Contact the Music Board chair. The Registrar has no say in your grade assignment.{/slide}
{slide=Q. I don’t like the new online forms and online payment. Can I just mail in a check with a paper form like we used to?}A. No. Since season 2015, the MWPBA no longer accepts checks for registration and contest entry payment.{/slide}
{slide=Q. How much does membership cost?}A. Take a look at the membership application form.{/slide}
{slide=Q. I became a solo member, but did not compete this season. Can I get a refund?}A. No. But the MWPBA thanks you for your continued support!{/slide}
{tab=Bands}
{slide=Q. What is my MWPBA band membership number?}A. Check out the list of Bands.{/slide}
{slide=Q. When do I need to get my roster in?}A. Your rosters must be SUBMITTED ONLINE by MARCH 31st. Any rosters submitted after that date will be considered a band transfer and will count against the one allowed band transfer per year for every member of the band. The only exception is for bands formed and registered after March 31st.{/slide}
{slide=Q. Can I email the roster to the registrar?}A. YES, but ONLY if you are having trouble with the online forms. The receipt date will be considered the submission date for email.{/slide}
{slide=Q. When do I have to get my Registered Instructor Form in?}A. Registered Instructor Forms must be submitted by MARCH 31st. No RI forms will be accepted after this date unless the band is newly formed and registered after March 31st.{/slide}
{slide=Q. Should I send my Roster / Registration / RI Form by registered mail?}A. NO. I will not accept any forms or rosters sent registered mail. Use the online submission forms.{/slide}
{slide=Q. Do you consider emails the same as postmarking?}A. YES. I consider the date of receipt on the email the same as a postmark, but since we no longer accept paper forms, this question is moot. Please use the online forms.{/slide}
{slide=Q. Can I post a paper form?}A. NO. Use the online forms. If having difficulty, send an email with the update.{/slide}
{slide=Q. I don’t have the required numbers for competition; can I still register and play for sheets?}A. NO. You must register your band with the intent of competing. Any band that shows up to a contest without the minimum required numbers will not be allowed to compete. Illness on the day that brings your band below minimums will be taken into consideration.{/slide}
{slide=Q. I have some new people to add to the roster, how can I do that?}A. You should complete the online form with the additions noted. A person who has not been on ANY roster this season may be added 4 days prior to a sanctioned event. Anyone who has been registered with ANY band this season must be added 10 days prior to a sanctioned event. We have reciprocity with all other North American associations, so this includes people coming into our association from an outside association.{/slide}
{slide=Q. What are the RI requirements?}A. The RI must be from a higher grade band and your band can not be higher than grade 3. The RI must be registered with an RI form by MARCH 31st and must appear on your roster with the note RI after his/her name. The RI can only be RI for ONE band. The drumming RI CAN play lead, the piping RI CAN be P/M. You may have one piping and one drumming RI in your band for a total of two RI’s.{/slide}
{slide=Q. What about playing drums in one band and pipes in another?}A. You may play pipes in one band and drums in another band of a different grade (or vice versa). You may not be a dual musician if you are also an RI. You can be an RI or a dual musician but not both.{/slide}
{slide=Q. I registered my band but my information is not up on the MWPBA website yet. What gives?}A. The website is owned and operated by a wonderful volunteer, who has a real job outside the website. I send your information to him as soon as I get it processed but this may take some time to get uploaded. Also, we process registrations in batches, so please allow a little time. The initial batch is processing around early March.{/slide}
{slide=Q. I have not received my membership card and I need to register for a contest, what do I do?}A. We no longer send out membership cards, we feel that your registration fees are better spent on things that will improve the association for all. The Band Registrar will send out an email when the registrations are all in (sometime in early March) with your band registration number on it. Your registration number will also be posted on the MWPBA website.{/slide}
{tab=Grading}
{slide=Q. I missed the deadline for regrading. Can I still regrade?}A. Nope. Regrade next season.{/slide}
{slide=Q. But I am new to the MWPBA and coming from another association. Can I still become an MWPBA member at my old grade?}A. Absolutely! Grading applications for transfers are accepted at any time. Just be sure to attach documentation showing your prior membership.{/slide}
{tab=Contests}
{slide=Q. I missed the deadline for a contest entry… Can I still enter?}A. No. Catch the next one. Every exception creates additional work for the volunteer mice in the MWPBA. Please don’t ask.{/slide}
{slide=Q. But I only just missed the deadline by a couple of days… Can I still enter?}A. Maybe. We get this a lot, so we have built in a couple of days grace to the contest entry forms. Try again.{/slide}
{slide=Q. Can I show up on the day and pay cash as a field entry?}A. No. Orders of play have already been set. Changes would be unfair to the other competitors.{/slide}
{tab=Payment}
{slide=Q. Why is the MWPBA using online payment via PayPal?} A. PayPal offers secure payments using your PayPal account, or via credit card. This has removed the manual processing of checks for many hundreds of transactions each year, with full and complete automated record keeping. {/slide}
{slide=Q. But I don’t have a PayPal account, and I don’t want to create one.} A. PayPal allows a limited number of “guest” payments using a credit card, after which time it requires an account to be created. Go ahead, and create the account.{/slide}
{slide=Q. PayPal won’t accepy my credit card!} A. PayPal allows only a limited number of “guest” payments using a given credit card. This is outside the control and visibility of the MWPBA.{/slide}
{slide=Q. I don’t want the MWPBA to see my credit card info.} A. We don’t. The MWPBA forms redirect to PayPal, and the financial transaction is completed there, before returning to the MWPBA. We receive payment, but do not see the details of the financial transaction on your side.{/slide}
{slide=Q. But I really just want to send a check. It’s easier!} A. That just creates administrative overhead for the volunteer MWPBA staff. Let’s keep it streamlined so that you don’t have to start paying them for their time. {/slide}
{tab=MWPBA Website}
{slide=Q. There is a technical issue on the website.} A. Please email the MWPBA webmaster to let us know. {/slide}
{/tabs}