Piper's Dojo Audio Experience

How do you work out the right intro E for a tune? How can you prepare for competition nerves and distractions? And how can your band get the most out of a membership with Dojo U?     Tune in for this week’s Friday Strike-In as Andrew and Carl answer listener questions on calculating pickup notes and intro Es, preparing to perform under pressure, building mock competition days into your p...

    What makes a tune special? How do you keep a sheepskin bag in good shape? And why would a pigeon stand its ground while an entire pipe band bears down on it? This week... they're back! Andrew joins Jim from his new Canadian base to dissect three piping questions. They explore how to find tunes that really speak to you, what it takes to season a sheepskin bag properly, and what scienc...

How should you organise your practice time? Does a Blackwood chanter actually need oiling? And do Piobaireachd time signatures really matter? Tune in for this week’s Friday Strike-In with Carl as he answers questions on practice planning, the Blair chanter, band rehearsal expectations, Blackwood chanter care, Piobaireachd time signatures, finding great light music, and what’s happening with Worlds...

Should you add tape before breaking in a new reed? Is a zipper really necessary on a hide bag? And what’s the best way to find more gigs as a bagpiper? Tune in for this week’s Friday Strike-In with Carl as he answers questions on chanter tape, hide bag setup, stock installation, reed maintenance, gigging, and how bands can keep young players excited and involved. Want to join these live Q&A se...

What’s the easiest hide bag to maintain? Why is your bass drone striking in before the tenors? And what does a spinning stock tell you about your bag? Tune in for this week’s Friday Strike-In with Carl as he tackles listener questions on hide bags, drone reed calibration, strike-ins, loose stocks, cold tuning before a gig, snare harnesses, and where to look when you’re competing. Want to join thes...

Should you tune your drones to high A or low A? What’s the best way to get back into piping after time away? And how should you look after new cane reeds when they arrive dry from shipping? Tune in for this week's Friday Strike-In as Andrew and Carl break down a beginner-friendly approach to tuning, share practical advice for getting back into regular practice, and tackle questions about band chan...

Why are you holding on to those old chanter reeds? What actually changes when you move to an extended small bag? And why does your blowstick keep popping out of your mouth? Tune in for this week's Friday Strike-In with Carl as he tackles listener questions on drone and chanter reeds, bag sizes, blowstick problems, Grade One medleys, tuning high A, and the ever-present question of band changes. Wan...

Thinking about moving to a new pipe band? How do you figure out which band is the right fit? And can an eight-year-old drone reed really affect the airtightness and playability of your pipes?   Tune in for this week's Friday Strike-In with Carl, as he tackles questions about choosing a new band, ageing drone reeds, reed efficiency, pitch differences, and even the best tunes to play during a t...

How well do you know the sound of pipe bands through the decades? This week, Jim brings back Jim's Dumb Games with a deceptively difficult challenge: "Guess the Decade." Andrew listens to nine mystery recordings spanning almost 100 years of pipe band history and tries to identify the decade, the exact year, and the band behind each one. Here's what we cover in this episode: 02:39 – Jim's Dumb Game...

How do you take a brand-new tune from slow and careful up to a confident performance tempo – without sacrificing your technique, rhythm or groove? In this Dojo U class preview, Carl works through a reel step by step, using small chunks, tempo jumps, metronome drills and single- and double-time counting to build finger speed while exposing the things that break down under pressure. Along the way,&n...

What if you could shrink yourself down to the size of an air molecule and take a ride through your bagpipe? This week, Andrew and Jim climb aboard the Magic School Bus to follow every molecule from your lungs to the chanter reed, looking for the places where precious air – and power – gets lost along the way. They end up exploring one of the most useful concepts in piping: efficiency. Join us on t...

  Should you tune your pipes as soon as band practice starts, or wait until they've settled in? How long does a reed really take to "break in"? And what's the best way to show a new instructor where your playing is at in a single lesson?   Tune in for this week's Dojo Q&A "Strike-In" session, as Andrew and Carl answer these questions and more.   Want to join these live Q&A s...

What makes someone ready to move up a grade? Should competitive Highland pipers explore other bagpipe traditions? Why do drones seem to have a mind of their own? And do tone enhancers actually work?   It's a mailbag episode! This week, Andrew and Jim tackle another round of listener questions, covering everything from grade progression and competition mindset to drone troubleshooting and equi...

How much music theory does a bagpiper really need? In this week's Friday Strike-In, Andrew and Carl dig into what "music theory" actually means for pipers, and why you may already know more than you think. Along the way they cover practical tuning advice, playing with other instruments, bagpipe notation software, and finish with a lighthearted brainstorm of bagpipe-inspired baby names. . Here's wh...

Piobaireachd has a reputation for being ancient, mysterious, and governed by strict traditions. But how much of what we think we know about this music is actually history... and how much is simply the result of chance? In Part 2 of their Introduction to Piobaireachd series, Andrew and Jim explore the remarkable journey of piobaireachd through the collapse of the clan system, the aftermath of Cullo...

Ever wondered why bagpipes are tuned "wrong" on purpose?   This week, Andrew and Carl answer your piping questions on everything from why high A isn't actually tuned perfectly, to bagad bands, high-altitude piping, reversed-handed playing, fixing sharp high Gs, and the mystery of an unexpected E pickup in one of piping's classic tunes.   Here's what we cover this week: 0:00 – Why bagpipe...

Sometimes the best piping stories start with a simple question: “Can you bring your pipes?”     Not all of them end up playing on a rooftop with NFL legends, becoming a viral sensation playing alongside Grimace, or partying with the 60,000-strong Tartan Army though…     This week, Andrew and Jim are joined by Matt McArthur – a Quincy, Massachusetts-based piper, comedian, and lo...

Ever feel like your pipes have gone from a passion to a chore? On this week's Q&A session, Andrew and Carl tackle your questions about keeping the passion alive, avoiding piping burnout, setting up your practice space, getting the most from your reeds, recording yourself, and more. Here's what we cover this week: 0:00 – Dealing with bagpipe burnout 6:50 – Getting ahead of burnout before it sta...

Most pipers know that bagpipes don’t always play nicely with other instruments. But why is that? And is there actually a simple way to fix it?     This week, Andrew and Jim revisit how to tune bagpipes to other instruments, diving back into 'just' vs 'equal' temperament to explain why the Great Highland Bagpipe sits so far away from concert pitch, and what that means when you try to play...

Real Feedback Month has officially kicked off at Dojo U! On this week's Q&A session, we explain how to get the most out of this special monthly theme, then dive into our regularly scheduled burning piping questions, covering a range of topics including competition etiquette, chanter reeds, tone enhancers, tuning habits, and more. Here's what we cover this week: 0:00 – Real Feedback Month begin...

Most advice about becoming a better musician sounds simple enough. But is any of it actually useful? This week, Andrew and Jim work through an article by a veteran bass player and music journalist who offers five tips for becoming a better musician. Exploring everything from self-promotion and procrastination to talent, bravery, and the appeal of "getting back to basics", they take a few tangents...

This week on Dojo U’s "Strike-In" Q&A, Andrew and Carl launch our special "Real Feedback Month" – you can join Dojo U before June 5th for a free 30-day trial and get direct feedback on your real summer repertoire through live critiques, recording reviews, and 15+ weekly classes designed to get your piping performance-ready for the season ahead. They also tackle listener questions on chanter tu...

Pìobaireachd can feel intimidating for so many pipers… so why do the people who fall in love with it become completely obsessed? In this first episode of a new multi-part series, Andrew and Jim explore the historic, musical and sometimes mysterious world of pìobaireachd (piob mhòr, the big music, or “peeb-rock”) — the classical music of the Great Highland Bagpipe. They unpack the myths, traditions...

This week on Dojo U’s "Strike-In" Q&A, Andrew and Carl tackle students' top-voted questions covering everything from competition tempos and reed setup to drone threading, posture, and grading standards. Here’s what we cover this week: 00:00 – Welcome & intro 00:07 – Threading drone reed seats: the pros, cons, and ongoing debate. Does it change the sound? Is it reversible? And should you do...

What if the reason your pipes sound incredible on their own… is the exact reason they clash with everything else? This week, Andrew and Jim dig into one of the most fascinating (and frustrating) realities of bagpiping: why the instrument’s beautiful, locked-in sound can feel completely at odds with a piano, organ, or other orchestral instruments. It all comes down to two competing systems of tunin...