It's Episode 100 of the Dojo Conversations Podcast!  

Well, kind of...   

Anyway, to celebrate 100 continuous weeks of streaming directly into your ears, Andrew's agreed to suffer through all the topics he doesn't want to talk about, but that Jim's been saving up for an occasion just like this... tune in this week to learn more about the nuances of circular breathing, whether bagpipers can use vibrato, using 'non-traditional' notes, and how bagpipe music has evolved over time.  

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 Celebrating 100 Episodes 
01:43 The Great Circular Breathing Debate 
03:54 Breathing Techniques for Beginners 
12:08 Exploring Vibrato on the Practice Chanter 
19:38 Bagpipe Techniques: Finding the Balance 
19:57 The Rise and Fall of C Natural and G Sharp 
20:55 Challenges of Tuning and Control 
22:29 Opera and Bagpipes: A Vibrato Comparison 
23:50 The Obsession with Technique 
25:35 Learning and Teaching Bagpipes 
30:07 The Evolution of Bagpipe Music 
32:13 Experimentation and Innovation in Bagpiping 
33:46 Reflections on Technique and Creativity 
37:41 Concluding Thoughts: The Role of Art and Risk

Have you ever wanted to write a bagpipe tune?

This week, Andrew and Jim show you how to do it by composing a brand new tune live on air! They discuss the process of composing music, exploring different techniques and ideas such as using a chord progression, incorporating motifs, and the importance of a good musical idea.

They share insights on using notation software like MuseScore, the significance of rhythm and melody, and even touch on the importance of repetition and variation in music.

If you’ve ever wanted to write tunes of your own, this is an episode not to miss!

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

Here’s what we cover this week:
00:00 Introduction and Banter
00:33 Live Tune Composition
00:48 Choosing the Genre and Tools
01:09 Starting with a Musical Idea
02:39 Chord Progressions and Motifs
06:49 Creating the Groove
16:36 Building the Melody
22:00 Exploring Rhythmic Ideas
22:21 Crafting the Fourth Bar
23:31 Using Repetition and Variation
24:36 Adjusting Melodies and Chords
25:40 Finalizing the First Line
28:25 Composing Techniques and Tips
34:29 The Role of Chord Progressions
35:22 Improvisation and Creativity
38:38 Evolution of Musical Ideas
40:03 The Impact of Iconic Tunes
43:20 The Art of Movie Scoring
45:11 Inviting Audience Participation

What if 11 small changes could make an enormous difference to your piping progress?  

This week, Andrew and Jim dive into the 11 commandments of mastery – Andrew’s blueprint of habits that lead to great bagpiping, but are applicable to all mastery-oriented pursuits. They look at the importance of mastering fundamentals to achieve creative freedom, common pitfalls that learners face, and why a growth mindset is essential to any form of progression.  

Here’s what we cover in this episode: 
00:00 Setting Up the Scene 
00:53 The 11 Commandments of Bagpiping 
01:11 Universal Concepts in Mastery 
02:05 Disagreements in the Bagpipe World 
04:20 Finding Reliable Advice 
05:29 First Principles and Growth Mindset 
12:00 Parenting and Teaching Analogies 
21:13 Empowering Through Fundamentals 
24:14 Discovering the Power of Chords 
24:41 Applying Chord Theory to Bagpipes 
26:01 The Trap of Linear Learning in Bagpiping 
27:36 The Role of Fun in Learning 
28:22 Photography and Bagpiping: A Creative Parallel 
31:32 The Golden Rule of Creative Freedom 
34:28 Specialization vs. Generalism in Bagpiping 
40:30 The Danger of Goal-Oriented Mindsets 
42:47 Overcoming Common Pitfalls in Bagpiping 
48:18 Introducing the 11 Commandments of Mastery 

Is Scottish snare drumming really that different from other kinds of drumming... or from piping?   

This week, prolific drummer, judge and tutor Ed Best once again drops in to chat all things snare drumming with Andrew and Jim, covering whether rhythm is different between piping and drumming, how tempo affects drummers, why pipers and drummers should both learn each others’ parts, and how to get a better ensemble in your pipe band.  

Got a question or 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 Welcome to the Ed Best and Jim Show! 
00:39 Bagpipes and Snare Drums: A Unique Musical Relationship 
01:18 Transferring Skills Between Musical Styles 
03:15 The Tool Belt Analogy for Musical Techniques 
04:22 Communication Challenges in Pipe Bands 
08:15 Understanding DCI and Its Influence 
09:45 The Rhythm Problem in Bagpiping 
16:21 The Importance of Communication in Ensemble Playing 
22:10 Communication Between Pipers and Drummers 
23:12 Tempo and Its Impact on Performance 
24:28 Challenges in Maintaining Rhythmic Control 
26:30 The Importance of Consistency in Tempo 
27:41 Understanding Drum Scores and Their Role 
33:15 The Role of Communication in Band Rehearsals 
39:53 The Importance of Ensemble Judging 
42:17 Concluding Thoughts and Reflections

Anyone for some hot cakes?!   

Jim’s been diving into the bagpipe forums on Reddit again, so this week, he and Andrew offer advice to solve a bunch of bugbears bothering bagpipers from across the web, including:  

• How to get bandmates to show up to practice 

• Better ways to improve at sight-reading  

• How to be more welcoming to new band members 

• Improving stamina and recovering after a hiatus from piping 

• What’s been going on in the piping world for the last 15 years or so, in a nutshell! 

• Nicole Kidman, for some reason…  

Got a question you want answered on a future pod? Leave a comment or email us: [email protected]!  

Here’s what we covered this week:  
00:00 Cool T-Shirt Designs 
01:51 Hot Takes for Hot Cakes 
02:25 Solving Attendance Issues in Bands 
08:18 Learning to Read Sheet Music for Bagpipes 
19:10 Joining a New Pipe Band 
20:14 Navigating Band Dynamics 
20:33 Jumping In Without Making Waves 
21:25 Earning Trust in Top Bands 
22:16 Joining New Groups: A Universal Challenge 
24:26 Tips for Maintaining Stamina Without Pipes 
26:14 Returning to Highland Piping After 15 Years 
26:51 The Evolution of Bagpipe Music 
28:38 Challenges in the Modern Music Landscape 
32:24 The Bandcamp Dilemma 
37:38 The Allure of Fictional Drama 
40:03 Conclusion and Sign-Off

After a piping hiatus, it can be exhausting to play for even a short time until your stamina builds again. So what's the best way to get your piping fitness back?   

This week, Andrew and Jim answer a reader question about how to build stamina after a break, focusing on the importance of finding joy and fun in playing – because enjoyable practice will naturally lead to improved stamina and skill. They also highlight the dangers of taking piping too seriously – because for many pipers, that might be why they took a hiatus in the first place...  

Here's what we cover in this episode:
00:00 Embarrassing Vocal Warm-Ups 
01:07 Forming Season Two's Strategy 
01:57 Stamina Advice for Returning Pipers 
05:37 The Fun Factor in Bagpiping 
09:34 Setting Up Your Bagpipes for Success 
16:15 The Hard Reed Debate 
21:40 Developing Stamina for Soccer and Bagpipes 
22:04 The Importance of Enjoying Your Practice 
23:11 Maintaining Motivation and Avoiding Burnout 
27:29 Practical Tips for Improving Stamina 
30:26 The Role of Fun in Mastery 
33:47 Balancing Tradition and Modernity in Bagpiping 
39:57 The Importance of Fun and Community in Piping 
44:05 Final Thoughts and Reflections

What does it really take to build a successful band?   

This week, Andrew and Jim discuss how much the skill of individual players contribute to pipe band success, exploring how focusing on individual improvement can elevate a band’s overall performance, the importance of balancing bandcraft and individual player development, alongside real challenges like tuning, practice routines, and overcoming performance anxieties.  

Here's what we discuss this week:
00:00 Season Two Kickoff
01:33 Exciting New Projects
02:14 Small Piping at the Dojo
03:09 Introducing Zeffen
04:02 Mark's Hypothesis
06:25 Band Improvement Strategies
10:30 The Role of Individual Skill
13:30 Challenges in Pipe Bands
24:10 Facing Uncontrollable Factors
24:40 The Algebraic Equation of Band Success
26:20 The Importance of Individual Skill
27:52 Bandcraft vs. Individual Excellence
28:34 The Evolution of Band Competitions
35:17 The Role of Adrenaline in Performance
39:39 The Key to Band Improvement
41:34 Expanding Your Band's Potential

It's another Reddit deep dive!

This week, Andrew and Jim discuss questions pipers have posted to Reddit – about whether you should play standard settings in solo competitions, and how judges should treat you as a competitor if you don't; Andrew's personal recommendations for the best piping albums of all time; and when it's appropriate to share recordings of Grade 1 band sets on social media. Finally, they tackle the topic of maintaining lip strength without pipes, debunking some myths and suggesting practical approaches to practice.

00:00 Introduction and Today's Agenda
01:02 Judging Etiquette and Feedback
03:12 Playing Non-Standard Settings in Competitions
07:54 Cultural Nuances in Solo Competitions
08:59 Personal Experiences and Lessons Learned
14:02 Recommended Bagpipe Albums
20:47 Social Media Etiquette for Top Bands
26:19 Maintaining Lip Stamina Without Pipes
30:06 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

This week, Andrew and Jim reunite after a six-week break to answer a listener’s question about dealing with bagpipe instructors who may be overly focused on perfection or do not make learning fun – along the way, they discuss self-reflection, teaching strategies, the importance of immersion, and whether or not you should "learn around" and see other teachers...

Here's what we cover this week:

00:00 Reunion and Catching Up

00:47 Haircuts and Clones

01:50 In-Person Episode Ideas

02:22 Highland Games in Utah

03:04 Mailbag: Anonymous Question

03:31 Balancing Fun and Perfection in Teaching

04:29 Parenting and Teaching Parallels

05:31 The Role of Fun in Learning

08:23 Adapting Teaching Methods

20:27 Immersion and Effective Teaching

30:15 Exploring Different Instructors

30:22 Conclusion: Finding the Balance

One of the mainstay in-person events for us at Dojo University is our semi-annual bagpiping cruise – and in 2024 we joined forces with Jack Lee and Piping Hot Summer Drummer to launch our first co-hosted cruise in Alaska!

This week, Andrew and Jim recap the realities, the itineraries and the logistics of running a bagpiping cruise, and paint a picture of what a piping school on the high seas looks like. Want to join in on the action? We'll be back in the Caribbean next April for our next cruise - visit pipersdojo.com/cruise for more info!

This week, we cover:
00:00 Warm-Up Shenanigans
00:45 Crush Confessions
01:26 Segway to Segues
02:16 Recording Breaks and Travel Plans
03:17 Cruise Recap: Piping in Alaska
04:55 Cruise Logistics and Experiences
06:34 Piping Classes and Activities
10:35 Playing Pipes on Land
14:49 Beginner Pipers on the Cruise
17:51 Piping School Styles
20:22 Group Activities and Instruction Methods
21:03 Exploring Alaska's Natural Wonders
21:21 Cruise Memories and Whale Watching
22:19 Port Excursions and Car Rentals
24:15 Social Dynamics and Friendships on Cruises
28:23 Upcoming Cruise Announcement
28:32 Details of the 2025 Caribbean Cruise
31:24 Piping Enthusiasm and Community Building
38:06 Concluding Thoughts and Final Remarks