Piper's Dojo Audio Experience

Andrew Douglas and the Piper's Dojo Team
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The Dojo engages thousands of bagpipers around the globe, by harnessing the power of the internet to help connect those in the world who share a specific passion; enriching one's life through bagpipes.

  1. HACE 6 DÍAS

    488 - Everything We Learned About Bagpipes This Year (Dojo Conversations Episode 151)

    In this annual Year in Review, Andrew and Jim reflect on a big year of piping, podcasting, and life at the Dojo – revisiting standout moments, recurring lessons, and the ideas that shaped the year. Let us know in the comments: what was your standout moment from the year – or the episode that helped you most? Here’s what we cover this week: 00:00 – Opening Banter & New Year’s Greetings 01:40 – Three Years of Podcasting & Friendship 03:15 – Why We Do a Year in Review 04:30 – Simple Tools & Building Better Pipers 06:00 – Why Recording Your Practice Changes Everything 07:45 – The Mystery of the Police Officer Thumbnail 09:00 – How Often Should You Learn a New Tune? 11:00 – Stacks of Tunes & Embracing Variance 13:00 – Why Subjective Feedback Gets Confusing 15:00 – Hacks for Grade Five Pipe Bands 17:00 – Why Learning Feels Hard Before It Gets Easier 19:30 – Parenting, Teenagers & Life Lessons 22:00 – Do You Really Need a Digital Tuner? 23:30 – Is the Practice Chanter a Real Instrument? 25:00 – The Cheat Code to Becoming Great at Bagpipes 27:00 – The Three-Step Formula for Steady Blowing 29:00 – How to Start a Pipe Band 30:30 – Moisture, Reeds & Finding the Balance 32:00 – Why Mentorship Matters 33:30 – Fear of Being Wrong & Progress 35:00 – The Three Minute Drill & Listener Q&A 36:30 – Why Multitasking Holds You Back 37:30 – Jim’s Dumb Games & The Tuning Game 39:00 – Speculative Bagpipe History & the Dojo Anniversary 40:30 – Looking Ahead & Final Reflections 41:30 – Gratitude, Optimism & Closing Thoughts

    42 min

  2. 22/12/2025

    487 - It's a Wonderful Pipe (Dojo Conversations Episode 150)

    Some Christmas episodes are carefully scripted… and some are joyfully handed over to the robots. This week, Andrew and Jim continue their annual holiday tradition by letting AI loose on a Christmas special — with festive chaos, a dash of existential dread, and plenty of laughs. With minimal prompting and maximum curiosity, they end up with “It’s a Wonderful Pipe”: a bagpipe-themed twist on a holiday classic. Andrew delivers a dramatic reading of the AI-generated story while Jim reacts in real time, before the conversation turns reflective. Is the story secretly profound or complete nonsense? What does it say about passion, inspiration, and creativity – and where does AI fit into all of this? It’s festive, slightly unhinged, and the perfect way to wrap up the year. Let us know in the comments: should AI run the show next year – and what was your favourite moment? Here’s what we cover this week: 00:00 – Festive Greetings & Opening Banter 01:00 – The Annual AI Christmas Tradition 02:00 – AI, Humanity & Holiday Spirit 04:30 – How This Year’s Story Was Created 05:45 – Pitching Ridiculous AI Christmas Ideas 07:10 – Choosing “It’s a Wonderful Pipe” 08:00 – Dramatic Reading: The AI Story Unleashed 39:58 – Recap, Themes & The Mysterious Chord 41:44 – Genius or Nonsense? 42:58 – Tradition, Uncertainty & What Comes Next 44:43 – Closing Thoughts & Holiday Wishes

    45 min

  3. 15/12/2025

    486 - When Your Chanter Won’t Behave (And What to Do About It)

    This week on Dojo's "Friday Strike In" Q&A Hour, Andrew works through a stack of real-world piping questions, starting with how to balance low A and low G and expanding into the practical realities of tuning, setup, and consistency. The discussion covers common chanter issues, when flat notes become a serious problem, and why simple troubleshooting often beats drastic fixes. They also shift focus from gear to players, tackling top-hand tension, posture, and why pipes feel so different from the practice chanter. Along the way, they dig into modern piping life – online lessons on full pipes, staying connected with bands from a distance, and how remote players can still show up prepared and be taken seriously. We finish up with bigger-picture strategy around solo competition repertoire, a clear breakdown of tuning order from chanter to drones, and a look at what’s coming next. Here’s what we cover this week: 00:00 – Intro & Balancing Low A and Low G 03:00 – Flat vs Sharp Notes on the Chanter \06:00 – Band Equipment Consistency & Fixes 08:00 – Relaxing the Top Hand 14:00 – Online Lessons on Full Pipes 17:40 – Staying Involved with Bands Remotely 24:00 – Changing Tunes for Solo Competition 29:00 – Tuning Order: Chanter vs Drones 38:00 – Wrap-Up & What’s Next

    41 min

  4. 08/12/2025

    485 - Does Failing Faster Make You A Better Piper?

    Ever wondered why some pipers seem to bounce back from mistakes effortlessly – or why your pipes sometimes feel great one day and impossible the next? This week, Andrew and Carl dig into a whirlwind of community questions, from the end of the Insider podcast to the art of conscious practice, performance pressure, equipment choices, and knowing when you’re ready to buy your first full set of pipes. They talk openly about experimenting (and failing) in public, why switching between pipes can throw you off, how nerves sabotage tunes you’ve played perfectly a hundred times, and why focused practice always beats endless reps. You’ll also hear their take on when in-person lessons are essential, how constraints can actually boost your creativity, and what gear Dojo instructors trust in their own playing. 🎵 Tune in at pipersdojo.com! Here’s what we cover this week: 00:00 – Why the Insider Podcast Is Ending (and what’s staying) 03:34 – Learning Through Trying, Failing, and Iterating 03:56 – How to Diagnose Hard-to-Play Pipes (Andrew’s Four Questions) 09:43 – Why Tunes Fall Apart Under Pressure 1 0:07 – Beating Performance Nerves & Preparing for High-Stakes Moments 21:00 – Practice vs. Repetition: Hunting for Future Mistakes 23:26 – When In-Person Lessons Matter (and when online is better) 29:39 – How Constraints Can Increase Your Musical Creativity 33:50 – What Gear Dojo Teachers Actually Use 40:00 – When You Should Buy Your First Set of Pipes

    48 min

  5. 01/12/2025

    484 - Rejected Ideas, Great Advice (Dojo Conversations Episode 149)

    Some episodes are carefully planned… and some are rescued straight out of the garbage can.   This week, Andrew and Jim wrap up the year by rifling through the legendary “maybe later” pile – a collection of rejected ideas, abandoned plans, and almost-episodes that never quite made the cut. What starts as reflection quickly turns into some surprisingly solid piping advice, mixed with the usual chaos.   Along the way, they tackle big questions about marching style, presentation in solo competition, and whether looking polished actually affects results. Then it’s down the rabbit hole with pressure variance testing, tuning by intuition, and why “trial and error” might still beat science when it comes to getting your pipes locked in.   It’s messy, honest, practical… and accidentally one of the most useful episodes of the year.   They also dig into why tradition still matters – from kilts and uniforms to parade culture – and finish with quickfire advice on keeping piping fun for kids, playing without pain, and building real fluency in embellishments.   Got a topic sitting in your “maybe later” pile? Drop it in the comments – we just might pull it out next episode.   Here’s what we cover this week:  00:00 – Intro & End of Year Reflections
  04:50 – The “Maybe Later” Pile: Rejected Topics
  07:50 – Marching in Solo Competition: Big Steps or Little Steps?
  10:30 – Does Presentation Matter in Competition?
  12:30 – How to Own Your Style & Marching Advice
  13:45 – The Blow Trick (Pressure Variance Testing)
  14:00 – Pressure Variance, Tuning & Trial and Error
  22:00 – Tuning Philosophy: Guessing, Intuition & Learning
  27:00 – Uniforms, Kilts & the Value of Tradition
  31:00 – Parades, Outfits & Embracing the Ridiculous
  34:00 – Quickfire: Keeping Piping Cool for Kids
  35:00 – Quickfire: Avoiding Pain (Posture & Comfort)
  37:00 – Quickfire: Embellishment Fluency & Building Blocks
  38:30 – Rhythm, Gracenotes & Abstractions in Learning
  39:30 – Wrapping Up & Looking Ahead

    40 min

  6. 24/11/2025

    483 - Composing the Future of Piping with John Dew

    This week, we sit down with renowned piper and composer John Dew for a deep dive into his latest project, John Dew's Pipe Suites. From the story behind the book to the evolution of harmony in bagpipe music, John walks us through his approach to writing suites, the influences that shaped his sound, and why understanding chord progressions is becoming essential for today’s pipers. We also explore his brand-new album, the tools he uses to compose, and what’s ahead for bands travelling to competitions. 🎵 Tune in and join the conversation at pipersdojo.com! Check out John and his music here: https://www.johndew-composition.com/ Here’s what we cover this week: 00:00 – Meeting John Dew & Early Background01:11 – Inside the Pipe Suite Book: The USB Format & Features02:40 – How the Community Reacted: Sales & Feedback03:40 – What’s Actually in the Book? (11 Suites Explained)05:10 – John’s Compositional Approach & Influences08:50 – Harmony, Chord Progressions & the Modern Piping Mindset13:45 – Teaching, Arranging & Why Harmony Matters for Leadership17:23 – Tools of the Trade: Sibelius & Other Software17:55 – Live Demo: Navigating the Book & Listening to Tracks21:19 – John’s New Album: Marches & Fresh Compositions23:20 – The Value of Musical Variety24:49 – Interactive Learning Tools at the Dojo25:45 – Q&A: Lessons, Pipe Majors, Contest Logistics & More36:03 – Do Pipers… Talk to Their Pipes?40:18 – Chicago Games & Band Travel Plans43:56 – Chanter & Reed Talk: Mark II Shepherd, Tuning & Comparisons46:15 – Drone Tuning Tips for Performances49:41 – Final Thoughts & Wrap-Up

    50 min

  7. 17/11/2025

    482 - How to Learn Tunes By Ear (Dojo Conversations Episode 148)

    Learning by ear can feel both magical and maddening… and it’s one of the most powerful skills a musician can build. This week, Andrew and Jim tackle how to learn tunes by ear, using the tune “Green Monster” as their test subject. They explore what really happens when you set the sheet music aside and trust your ears, your instincts, and a little bit of trial and error. 🎧💡 Ear learning isn’t just possible—it’s a superpower waiting to be unlocked. Got questions or want to share your own ear-learning tips? Drop a comment below! And a special shoutout to Hannah Focken, whose performance we feature on this week’s episode: https://www.youtube.com/@hannahfocken Here’s what we cover this week: 00:24 – Intro: Why Learn By Ear? 01:07 – Where Did “Green Monster” Come From? 02:41 – Sheet Music vs. Ear Learning 05:43 – Recordings Are Your Best Friend 08:58 – Practical Tools for Ear Learning 12:53 – The Bagpipe Freedom Process 14:30 – March, Jig, Hornpipe… or Something Else? 17:00 – Build a Mental Model First 20:00 – It Gets Easier (Really) 22:00 – Private Lessons vs. Self-Discovery 27:00 – Creativity, Play, and the Joy of Ear Learning

    46 min

  8. 10/11/2025

    481 - Why You Can’t Hear Your Own Mistakes

    Ever wondered why those pesky crossing noises always show up when you’re playing in front of a judge? This week, Andrew and Carl tackle one of piping’s most frustrating mysteries: how nerves mess with your finger control... and what you can actually do about it. From understanding what judges really mean by “crossing noises” to using recordings to hear what they hear, this episode is packed with practical advice for improving your competition performances. The guys also talk about the difference between live band workshops and online learning, and weigh in on everything from smallpipe design to jig interpretation and drum setups.  🎵 Tune in and join the conversation at pipersdojo.com! Here’s what we cover this week:00:00 – How to Fix Crossing Noises Under Pressure03:45 – Why You Might Not Hear Your Own Mistakes07:30 – The Power of Recording Yourself11:00 – Finger Control, Nerves, and Bandwidth16:00 – Should the Dojo Build a Troubleshooting Course?21:00 – Band Workshops vs. Dojo Membership: What’s Best?27:00 – Will Inveraray at Chicago Games Attract More Grade One Bands?30:30 – Why Practice Chanters Have Cylindrical Bores33:00 – Jigs: Pointed or Straight Eighth Notes?37:00 – Which Drum Brands Are Worth It?39:00 – Does Manometer Tubing Size Matter?41:00 – Software for Playing Along with Your Tunes44:30 – Why Bands Use Two Tenors and One Bass48:00 – Baritone Drones and Their Role in Pipe Tuning 💬 Like, comment, and subscribe for more piping discussions!

    40 min
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The Dojo engages thousands of bagpipers around the globe, by harnessing the power of the internet to help connect those in the world who share a specific passion; enriching one's life through bagpipes.

Información

  • Creador
    Andrew Douglas and the Piper's Dojo Team
  • Años de actividad
    2016 - 2025
  • Episodios
    476
  • Clasificación
    Explícito
  • Copyright
    © 2026 All rights reserved
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    Piper's Dojo Audio Experience

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