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 sessions, ask your own questions, and learn from world-class instructors every week? Join us at Dojo University today: https://pipersdojo.com/store

Here’s what we cover this week:

0:00 – Chanter tape and new reeds: how much tape to add before you start playing
4:11 – Does low G tape affect other notes? Understanding cross-note effects
6:01 – Installing stocks in a zipperless hide bag: tips, tricks and common methods
13:36 – Finding bagpipe gigs: weddings, funerals, networking and online listings
17:33 – Reed pokers and mandrels: can they extend the life of a dying reed?
24:41 – Hide bags: zipper or no zipper, and choosing the right bag size
27:20 – Keeping younger players engaged: giving new pipers meaningful roles and responsibilities

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 these live Q&A sessions, ask your own questions, and learn from world-class instructors every week? Join us at Dojo University today: https://pipersdojo.com/store

Here’s what we cover this week:

0:00 – Hide bags: maintenance, seasoning and cowhide
3:10 – Hide bags with zippers: grommets, tie-ins and the easiest setup
11:26 – Stocks in a zipperless bag: what you need to know
11:47 – Drone reed calibration vs. strike-in: getting your drones to start together
23:10 – Spinning stocks: what they reveal about leaks and loose tie-ins
30:55 – Cold tuning before a gig: keeping your pipes stable between warm-up and performance
40:11 – French snare harnesses: the counterbalance design used by top bands
41:42 – Where should you look when competing? Staying focused under pressure

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 changes, bass drone reeds, mixed drone setups, and reed storage.

Want to join these live Q&A sessions, ask your own questions, and learn from world-class instructors every week? Join us at Dojo University today: https://pipersdojo.com/store

Here's what we cover this week:

0:30 – High A vs. low A: which note should you use to tune your drones?
6:48 – A beginner-friendly tuning strategy
13:40 – Why low A is your tuning reference point
17:21 – Do beginners really need to balance the chanter? Plus the Scotland the Brave test
19:14 – Getting back into piping after time away: where should you start?
23:07 – The piper development pyramid: immersion and small daily actions
30:13 – Band-jumping season: when should you consider switching bands?
33:52 – Inverted bass drone reeds: the pros and cons 
38:06 – Drones with a different-bore middle tenor: what happens to your tuning?
39:25 – How should you store new cane reeds? Humidity, drawers and storage devices
42:34 – New reeds arriving completely dry: how to hydrate and test them

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.

Want to join these live Q&A sessions, ask your own questions, and learn from world-class instructors every week? Join us at Dojo University today: https://pipersdojo.com/store

Here's what we cover this week:

0:00 – How old is too old for your drone reeds? Storage, bridles and O-rings explained
7:04 – Small vs. extended small bags: what actually changes?
22:06 – Why does your blowstick pop out? Tie-ins, ball joints and DIY fixes
26:33 – When should you throw out a chanter reed? The backup reed rule
30:02 – Understanding Grade One medleys: bridges, transitions and reprises
34:50 – Worlds tickets for next year: what to expect
35:35 – High A squealing: is it the reed, the player or the sweet spot?
41:44 – Band jumping season: is anyone thinking about switching bands?

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 thunderstorm.

Want to join these live Q&A sessions, ask your own questions, and learn from world-class instructors every week? Join us at Dojo University today: https://pipersdojo.com/store

Here's what we cover this week:
0:00 – Moving to a new band: how to find the right fit
5:26 – Can old drone reeds affect airtightness and playability?
13:14 – How long do drone reeds really last?
18:09 – How many spare reeds should you take to Scotland?
20:44 – Bag/reed efficiency and the Scotland the Brave test
25:31 – Why does your chanter pitch change between Canada and Scotland?
31:18 – The best pipe tunes for a thunderstorm
33:10 – Carbon fibre vs. other drone reed materials
35:57 – Does the wood used in your drones make a difference?

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 Games returns
05:06 – The rules of "Guess the Decade"
07:16 – Sample #1
12:45 – Sample #2
15:11 – Sample #3
16:50 – Sample #4
22:53 – Sample #5
27:02 – Sample #6
28:54 – Sample #7
33:39 – Sample #8
36:09 – Sample #9
39:00 – How generational listening shapes what sounds "old" or "new"
42:28 – Final score and the bonus recording

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, he explores why jumping between tempos can reset your perception of speed, how to stay relaxed when the tempo rises, and why finding the groove matters more than simply chasing the metronome.

Here's what we cover:

00:00 – Getting a new tune up to tempo and pushing finger speed
00:57 – Warm-up technique: building the tune in small chunks
01:15 – What tends to break down at speed: crossing noises, grace notes and rhythm
08:47 – How bouncing between tempos changes your perception of speed
09:15 – Why rhythm training can take time to adjust to
19:35 – Adding foot-tapping in single time vs. double time
23:19 – How fast should a reel actually be played? Band vs. solo tempos
30:14 – How your perception of "slow" and "fast" resets after a pause
32:04 – Deliberately going very fast to reset your perception of tempo
40:16 – Finding "the groove" instead of simply hitting the metronome click
42:51 – Wrap-up: prioritising groove over mechanical execution

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 this magical adventure through your bagpipe as we break down where power is gained, where it's lost, and how to make sure you're getting the most from every breath.

Here's what we cover in this episode:

00:00 – Allergies, medicine horror stories, and catching up
04:40 – The question: how do we get more out of our bagpipes?
06:13 – What "power" actually means: volume, punch, response, and cracking notes
09:26 – Efficiency: minimum input for maximum output
12:17 – Choosing a reed for the kind of power you actually need
15:15 – Become an air molecule: join us on Andrew's Magic School Bus
19:24 – Following the air from the mouthpiece through the blowpipe joint
24:42 – Finding leaks with hemp, Teflon tape, rubber corks, and a little persistence
27:43 – Into the bag: stocks, tie-ins, zippers, seams, and sneaky leaks
29:57 – Andrew's extreme leak test – and why you probably shouldn't kneel on your pipes
33:55 – Eliminating air leaks systematically
41:51 – Reed seats: why a loose reed is a deal breaker
43:52 – Drone reed nose cones, two-part bodies, and other places air can escape
45:51 – Moisture and reeds
50:24 – Calibrating drone reeds for minimum air consumption
53:38 – Why equal air across all three drones matters
55:25 – Using condensation to diagnose reed calibration problems
57:32 – The second-order factors: tuning, rhythmic accuracy, and mastery
58:55 – What computer chips, electricity grids, and bagpipes have in common
1:02:02 – Why power is really a byproduct of mastery
1:05:03 – Wrap-up

 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 sessions, ask your own questions, and learn from world-class instructors every week? Join us at Dojo University today: https://pipersdojo.com/store  

Here's what we cover this week:

• 0:00 – Should you tune immediately or let your pipes warm up first?
• 13:25 – How to get the most from a one-off lesson with a new instructor
• 17:33 – Do bagpipe reeds really need 10 hours to break in?
• 24:09 – Andrew and Carl's favourite piping and pipe band albums
• 28:52 – Keeping your pipes cool and in tune on hot, sunny days

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 equipment myths. Along the way, they explain why focusing on what you can control is one of the fastest ways to improve, and why social media popularity isn't always a reliable measure of piping ability.  

Here's what we cover in this episode:

•   00:00 – Catching up before another mailbag session
• 00:37 – Listener questions: what's on pipers' minds this week?
• 02:28 – Moving up to Grade 4: choosing tunes and knowing when you're ready
• 04:25 – Are Grade 3 tunes actually more difficult than Grade 4?
• 06:50 – What solo competitions are really judging (and what they aren't)
• 13:34 – Why focusing on controllable factors leads to better performances 
• 16:09 – Social media popularity versus genuine piping progress
• 20:42 – Should competitive Highland pipers branch into bagad or other bagpipe traditions?
• 33:43 – Why drones sometimes turn themselves back on after you've shut them off
• 58:32 – The unexpected Truman Show connection, final thoughts, and outro

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 what we cover this week:
0:00 – What is music theory for bagpipers?
4:45 – Playing with other instruments and concert pitch
16:03 – The circle of fifths: useful or unnecessary?
17:30 – How to tune your chanter to your drones
29:17 – The best bagpipe music notation apps
34:21 – Community Q&A: drumming, summer schools, Dojo history & tune player fixes
39:58 – The best (and worst) bagpipe-inspired baby names

Want to join these live Q&A sessions, ask your own questions, and learn from world-class instructors every week? Join us at Dojo University today: https://pipersdojo.com/store