Last week we looked at how maintenance, set up, and your bag can all massively help or massively hinder your strike ins.  

This week, Jim and Andrew break down how to actually execute a perfect strike-in, and how to get it right every time. They share the top mistakes pipers make, introduce a three-pronged method for success, and explain why air pressure and rhythm are everything. You'll also hear tips for syncing with your drum corps, tuning on the fly, and building confidence through solo practice.  

Got a topic you’d like us to cover on a future episode? Leave a comment or email us: [email protected]  

Here’s what we cover this week:
00:00 Introduction and Recap
01:02 Calibration and Strike Ins
01:17 Common Mistakes in Striking In
03:40 The Three-Pronged Attack
05:50 Advanced Techniques and Tips
14:17 Air Pressure and Final Tuning
16:30 Perfecting the E Note
16:59 The Role of Drummers in Synchronization
17:35 Mastering the Pipe Band Rhythm
18:12 Step-by-Step Guide to Pipe Band Attack
20:36 Importance of Practicing Alone
23:54 Why a Good Attack Matters
26:32 Handling Mistakes and Moving Forward
30:27 Final Tips and Resources

Are your strike ins leaving you deflated? 

This week, Andrew and Jim break down the real reasons your pipes might not be cooperating – from leaky bags and floppy setups to calibration quirks and climate curveballs. Plus, a little banter about band camp and Misty Mountain mugs to kick things off. Part one of a two-part deep dive into striking in.

Got a topic you'd like us to cover in a future episode? Leave a comment or email us: [email protected]

Here's what we cover this week:

00:00 – Band camp flashbacks

01:05 – A light Middle-earth geography squabble

02:46 – Bagpipes and golf: where obsession meets art

03:34 – Calibration 101: getting your drones to play nice

05:46 – Strike-in theory vs. what actually happens

11:30 – Making calibration part of your daily routine

14:55 – Cane reeds: fragile, finicky, but oh-so sweet

16:10 – Climate chaos and the Scotland setup struggle

16:30 – What “efficiency” means in real life and piping

17:34 – The mechanics of a clean strike-in

19:27 – Why setup is everything

21:15 – Fine-tuning your reeds and drones

31:15 – Floppy bags and other setup saboteurs

33:48 – Wrapping up: what’s next in part two

Ever find yourself stopping cold after making a mistake while you're playing?

In this episode, Andrew and Jim dig into what it really takes to master bagpipe tunes – especially when things don’t go perfectly. They chat about why stopping every time you make a mistake can actually hold you back, and how finishing what you start (even if it's messy) leads to better progress in the long run.

Along the way, they share stories from their own musical journeys – including a few childhood recital flashbacks – and reflect on lessons learned from some of the top pipers in the world.

If you’ve ever found yourself stuck in a loop of restarts or frustrated by your own mistakes, this episode is for you. It’s a reminder to persevere, stay out of the ruts, and trust the process – even when it’s not perfect.

Got a topic you'd like us to cover in a future episode? Leave a comment or email us: [email protected]

Here's what we cover this week:
00:00 Internet Woes and Dojo U
01:05 Teaching Technology to Seniors
01:46 Podcasting from Afar
02:01 The Struggles of Internet Service Providers
03:27 A Frustrating Call with Spectrum
05:32 Commitment to Learning and Practice
07:56 The Importance of Finishing What You Start
12:46 Effective Practice Strategies
17:22 Addressing Mistakes in Performances
18:25 The Concept of Ruts and Feedback Loops
19:17 Forming Good Habits in Practice
19:43 Treating Your Brain Like a Baby
21:19 The Problem with Fixating on Mistakes
26:36 Balancing Practice Sessions
28:37 Pipe Band Practice Strategies
29:22 Reflections on Leadership in Pipe Bands
31:16 Concluding Thoughts on Practice and Performance

How do you avoid burnout as a new pipe major? Find gigs as a soloist? Introduce new tunes to your band?

Join Andrew and Jim for another mixed bag Q&A episode as they crawl through Reddit, discussing questions and common challenges from finding gigs and balancing practice routines to leading new bands and keeping members motivated. Whether you're a seasoned player or just starting out, this episode is packed with valuable insights and practical advice to keep your piping journey enjoyable and fulfilling.

Got a topic you'd like us to cover on a future episode? Leave a comment or email us: [email protected]

Here's what we cover this week: 

00:00 Introduction and Setting the Stage

01:13 Exploring Reddit Topics: Country Club Sunset Gigs

02:57 Strategies for Landing Golf Course Gigs

06:37 Balancing Competition and Fun in Practice

10:46 Tips for Effective Practice Sessions

12:45 The Importance of Enjoying the Journey

22:04 Daily Practice Routine

22:33 Balancing Fun and Discipline

23:25 Pipe Major's Dilemma: Changing Medleys

24:54 Conflicting Ideas in Band Management

27:04 Strategies for Introducing New Material

31:22 Advice for New Pipe Majors

32:32 Delegation and Teamwork in Bands

38:49 Concluding Thoughts on Band Leadership

Are the RSPBA’s prescribed tunes just tough? Or are they trying to tell us something?

This week, Jim and Andrew dive into a juicy listener-submitted topic: the sometimes frustrating, always challenging world of the RSPBA prescribed tunes list. Are some of these tunes meant to weed bands out? We explore the theories, the difficulties, and the real reasons these tunes exist.

From choosing the right music for your band’s skill level to balancing challenge with enjoyment, they unpack it all, complete with cooking analogies, personal stories, and a few cheeky conspiracy theories along the way. Whether you're a band leader or just curious about the logic behind tune lists, this one’s got food for thought.

Got a topic you’d like us to cover in a future episode? Leave a comment or email us: [email protected]

Here’s what we cover this week:

00:00 – Intro & listener topic

00:29 – What’s the deal with the prescribed tunes?

01:46 – Are they intentionally hard?

03:26 – Why these tunes exist in the first place

04:43 – What judges are looking for

07:45 – Picking tunes for different skill levels

16:34 – What counts as an “acceptable” variation?

22:13 – Keeping the music challenging but fair

26:33 – What to do when you’ve got newbies

27:25 – Tales from the trenches: tough tunes

28:33 – Striking the right balance

29:38 – Repertoire choices that work

31:38 – More on performance standards

32:22 – Cooking up a good analogy

34:30 – Why the basics still matter

37:22 – Final thoughts and takeaways

Is this the man behind the curtain at the Dojo?

This week, Andrew and Jim welcome Carl Donley, who’s been a mainstay co-running Dojo University with Andrew from nearly the beginning!

We’ll chat about how Piper’s Dojo went from a scrappy side project to the giant online piping school it is today. From humble beginnings and evolving roles to the game-changing tech that helped them bring their vision to life, Carl takes us behind the scenes of the Dojo’s digital journey. You’ll hear how he and Andrew’s layered teaching method has changed the way people learn the pipes – and how they’ve stayed ahead in the fast-changing world of online music education.

Plus, Carl shares some personal stories and how piping has shaped his life – from a grad job to teaching bagpipes on a boat from where we’d rather be, cruising around somewhere in the Mediterranean…

Got a topic you’d like us to cover in a future episode? Leave a comment or email us: [email protected]

Here’s what we cover with Carl this week:

00:00 Introduction and Greetings

00:55 Carl's Role and Early Dojo Videos

01:50 Meeting and Early Collaboration

03:35 Starting the Piper's Dojo

05:48 E-commerce and Business Expansion

12:30 Transition to Online Learning

13:50 Early Online Teaching Challenges

21:40 Dojo University and Semesters

24:33 Early Struggles and Breakthroughs

24:54 The Birth of the Subscription Model

26:11 Pioneering Online Bagpipe Education

28:12 Technological Transitions and Adaptations

29:12 Embracing Remote Work and Digital Nomadism

29:56 Innovative Teaching Methods

38:42 The Dojo's Unique Approach to Bagpipe Education

45:29 Creating New Bagpipers from Scratch

Can you guess where these sometimes weird and often wonderful pipes come from?  

Join Andrew and Jim this week for a wild ride through the world of bagpipes! They’re putting their knowledge to the test in a hilarious guessing game – play along to see if you can tell a Swedish Sackpipa from a Bulgarian Gaida just by a picture! Along the way, learn some quirky history, unique features, and cool playing styles of bagpipes from around the globe. Ready to play along? Tune in for a bagpipe themed world tour that’s equal parts silly and fascinating!  

Got a topic you’d like us to cover on a future episode? Leave a comment or email us: [email protected]  

Here’s what we cover this week…

00:00 Introduction to Jim's Stupid Games
00:38 Discussing Bagpipes and Their Variations
01:06 The Highland Bagpipes and Their Unique Features
02:33 Starting the Game
05:01 First Bagpipe
11:02 Second Bagpipe
14:42 Third Bagpipe
17:12 Finger Work Frustrations
18:00 Pipes from the North
21:16 Ein Dudelsack?
25:08 Pipes from a Different North
27:23 The Benefits of Playing Multiple Instruments
29:09 Musical Aspirations and Fun
31:52 Wrapping Up

Ever wondered why we play grace notes in a certain order? Or how we started playing with drones or a bag in the first place?

All the traditions, “rules” and musical techniques that we take for granted today evolved over many hundreds of years of innovation to create the sound and distinctive style of pipe music that we all know and love today.

In this episode, Andrew and Jim dive deep into the evolution of bagpipe techniques, exploring how reed tubes, finger movements, and drones came to be. They discuss the natural creativity and trial-and-error process that led to the development of gracenotes and embellishments. They illustrate how competition, play, and simple curiosity have shaped the bagpipe music we know today. They also cover the role of termites in all of this in quite some detail for some reason...

Got a topic you’d like covered on a future episode? Leave a comment or email us: [email protected]

Here’s what we cover this week:

What if you could practice tuning... WITHOUT your bagpipes?

This week, Andrew and Jim are test-driving Andrew's new tuning game – and launching a special 30-day tuning challenge where participants can WIN a set of McCallum SL4 MacRae bagpipes!

To join the Tuning Game Challenge for your chance to win, visit https://pipersdojo.com/tuningchallenge

Tuning pipes is complex – you're chasing a moving target as you juggle rising temperature, building moisture, and trying to blow steady while you listen for the "wah wahs" to chase that perfect tone.

And whether you're a beginner or a seasoned player, this episode offers valuable insights and practical tools to improve your tuning skills. Don't miss out on the opportunity to enhance your musical precision!

Here's what we cover this week:

01:02 The Pink Elephants Problem
01:26 Fear of Heights and Intrusive Thoughts
02:07 Tuning and the Myth of Perfect Pitch
04:52 The Corn Maze Analogy
09:44 The Tuning Game
13:47 Trial and Error in Tuning
25:56 Navigating Beginner Mode
27:10 Understanding Hard Mode
30:00 Playing the Tuning Game
30:46 Exploring Tuning Metrics
43:26 The 30-Day Tuning Challenge
55:53 Final Thoughts and Encouragement