
Sign up to save your podcasts
Or


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!
Here’s what we cover this week:
00:00 – Meeting John Dew & Early Background
01:11 – Inside the Pipe Suite Book: The USB Format & Features
02:40 – How the Community Reacted: Sales & Feedback
03:40 – What’s Actually in the Book? (11 Suites Explained)
05:10 – John’s Compositional Approach & Influences
08:50 – Harmony, Chord Progressions & the Modern Piping Mindset
13:45 – Teaching, Arranging & Why Harmony Matters for Leadership
17:23 – Tools of the Trade: Sibelius & Other Software
17:55 – Live Demo: Navigating the Book & Listening to Tracks
21:19 – John’s New Album: Marches & Fresh Compositions
23:20 – The Value of Musical Variety
24:49 – Interactive Learning Tools at the Dojo
25:45 – Q&A: Lessons, Pipe Majors, Contest Logistics & More
36:03 – Do Pipers… Talk to Their Pipes?
40:18 – Chicago Games & Band Travel Plans
43:56 – Chanter & Reed Talk: Mark II Shepherd, Tuning & Comparisons
46:15 – Drone Tuning Tips for Performances
49:41 – Final Thoughts & Wrap-Up
By Andrew Douglas and the Piper's Dojo Team4.9
4040 ratings
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!
Here’s what we cover this week:
00:00 – Meeting John Dew & Early Background
01:11 – Inside the Pipe Suite Book: The USB Format & Features
02:40 – How the Community Reacted: Sales & Feedback
03:40 – What’s Actually in the Book? (11 Suites Explained)
05:10 – John’s Compositional Approach & Influences
08:50 – Harmony, Chord Progressions & the Modern Piping Mindset
13:45 – Teaching, Arranging & Why Harmony Matters for Leadership
17:23 – Tools of the Trade: Sibelius & Other Software
17:55 – Live Demo: Navigating the Book & Listening to Tracks
21:19 – John’s New Album: Marches & Fresh Compositions
23:20 – The Value of Musical Variety
24:49 – Interactive Learning Tools at the Dojo
25:45 – Q&A: Lessons, Pipe Majors, Contest Logistics & More
36:03 – Do Pipers… Talk to Their Pipes?
40:18 – Chicago Games & Band Travel Plans
43:56 – Chanter & Reed Talk: Mark II Shepherd, Tuning & Comparisons
46:15 – Drone Tuning Tips for Performances
49:41 – Final Thoughts & Wrap-Up

91,058 Listeners

78,492 Listeners

229,584 Listeners

43,604 Listeners

38,914 Listeners

27,178 Listeners

26,243 Listeners

10,746 Listeners

8,751 Listeners

24 Listeners

48 Listeners

45,334 Listeners

19 Listeners

16,062 Listeners

45 Listeners