This week on Dojo U’s "Strike-In" Q&A, Andrew and Carl launch our special "Real Feedback Month" – you can join Dojo U before June 5th for a free 30-day trial and get direct feedback on your real summer repertoire through live critiques, recording reviews, and 15+ weekly classes designed to get your piping performance-ready for the season ahead.

They also tackle listener questions on chanter tuning, synthetic reeds, blowing efficiency, recording gear, pitch standards, and more. Here’s what we cover this week:

00:00 – June’s Real Feedback Month: how it will work and how to get involved

04:43 – Fixing a chronically sharp high G: warmups, carving myths, reed positioning, moisture control systems, and alternative chanter modifications 14:03 – Synthetic chanter reeds: thoughts on the Highland Bagpipe SureFire reed, why synthetic drone reeds have succeeded more easily, and what’s still missing from synthetic chanter technology 19:20 – Reed gurgling on E: what causes it, why overblowing is usually the main issue, and how reed strength affects stability 25:27 – Puffing your cheeks while playing: why it happens, whether it’s a problem, and how it relates to blowing mechanics 28:40 – Recording gear and adapters: getting the Zoom IQ7 working with USB-C devices and why cable quality matters 30:14 – Current limitations of AI transcription for bagpipe content 32:00 – Acceptable low A pitch frequencies: why 480 Hz can be completely normal depending on weather and conditions

34:40 – Wrap-up and sign-off

Pìobaireachd can feel intimidating for so many pipers… so why do the people who fall in love with it become completely obsessed?

In this first episode of a new multi-part series, Andrew and Jim explore the historic, musical and sometimes mysterious world of pìobaireachd (piob mhòr, the big music, or “peeb-rock”) — the classical music of the Great Highland Bagpipe.

They unpack the myths, traditions, gatekeeping, history, and genuine beauty surrounding the art form, while making the case that piob isn’t just for elite competitors or music scholars. It’s a completely different way of experiencing music on the pipes. They explore why piob can feel so inaccessible at first, the parallels between tradition and storytelling, and why learning even a little pìobaireachd can fundamentally change the way you hear and play the instrument.

Here’s what we cover in this episode:
00:00 – Introducing piping’s forbidden dinner-table topic
00:40 – Why pìobaireachd can feel like a secret society (and why that barrier exists)
02:20 – The psychology of exclusivity and piob as a “club” within piping
04:30 – Inside Andrew’s massive Dojo pìobaireachd course and how it was built
07:00 – Why your apprehension about piob is completely normal
09:00 – Piob vs light music: why the experience feels fundamentally different
16:00 – What the Urlar (ground) actually is and how variations are constructed
17:45 – How simple melodies evolve into elaborate musical “finger fireworks”
18:30 – The MacCrimmon legend, the Skye school, and the mythology surrounding piob origins
21:00 – Teacher lineage and the idea of tracing musical ancestry
22:30 – Piob as “bagpipers’ religion”: storytelling, tradition, and the mystery factor
28:00 – Gatekeeping, authority, and why modern piob culture is slowly becoming more open
32:00 – Tradition as a guide rather than a prison: descriptive vs prescriptive teaching
36:00 – Why even “boring” piob deserves an open mind — plus a preview of next episode’s deep dive into history and the legendary black chanter

This week on Dojo U’s "Strike-In" Q&A, Andrew and Carl tackle students' top-voted questions covering everything from competition tempos and reed setup to drone threading, posture, and grading standards.

Here’s what we cover this week:

• 00:00 – Welcome & intro
• 00:07 – Threading drone reed seats: the pros, cons, and ongoing debate. Does it change the sound? Is it reversible? And should you do it on vintage or high-end pipes?
• 07:00 – What actually separates the grades? A practical breakdown of Grade 5 through Professional, including what players should realistically be aiming for at each level
• 14:40 – Using the Two-Week Tune of the Week process for competition prep: applying the freedom phase approach to building and polishing solo or band repertoire
• 19:10 – Andrew’s move to St. Andrew’s College: will he continue playing with Inveraray? A look at how yearly “renewals” work and what he shared during the interview process
• 21:30 – Do bagpipes make people look better in photos and videos? Why posture matters more than you think, and the four key points that change everything
• 23:58 – What’s a safe tempo for a Grade 4 2/4 march? Live metronome demos using Siege of Delhi, Iron Division, and Prince Charles, plus why groove matters more than raw BPM
• 33:00 – Decoding judge feedback on tempo: how to turn “too fast” or “too slow” comments into practical adjustments
• 33:54 – Willie’s Glenfiddich tempo check: Mike’s rule that Grade 4 players probably shouldn’t be playing faster than 58 BPM
• 33:52 – Adding phase-passing recordings to Dojo-U congratulation posts: logistics, community feedback, and possible improvements
• 35:12 – Reed selection: when is a reed truly bad, and when is it just a poor match for your setup? Including the “90% rule” for chanter and drone reeds
• 37:57 – Why trial and error is still the best teacher: how running a band, experimenting with chanters, and buying cheap used gear speeds up learning
• 39:52 – Reed humidity prep: Andrew’s Ziploc bag and cigar humidification pack method for conditioning reeds before testing
• 41:30 – Hygrometer accuracy: why Andrew replaced his old hygrometers, and how unreliable readings can quietly sabotage your setup

What if the reason your pipes sound incredible on their own… is the exact reason they clash with everything else?

This week, Andrew and Jim dig into one of the most fascinating (and frustrating) realities of bagpiping: why the instrument’s beautiful, locked-in sound can feel completely at odds with a piano, organ, or other orchestral instruments.

It all comes down to two competing systems of tuning – so buckle in for a music nerd deep dive into just intonation vs equal temperament, why they are often at odds with each other, and what you can actually do about it in real playing situations.

Here’s what we cover in this episode:
00:00 – Perfect intervals and the bagpipe’s unique tuning identity
00:22 – Intros, hats, and an unexpected Albany geography tangent
05:49 – Just vs equal temperament: what are we actually talking about?
08:03 – Why the drone locks bagpipes into just tuning
13:21 – A practical demo using 100 Hz to explain pure intervals
17:00 – The ratios behind the bagpipe scale (B, C#, D, E, F#, G)
22:32 – Equal temperament explained: 12 equal slices of the octave
27:01 – The trade-off: why “in tune” sometimes means slightly out
30:38 – Bagpipe vs piano in real numbers (e.g. C# at 600 vs 604.7 Hz)
32:27 – The biggest clashes: why high G and low G hurt the most
33:09 – Splitting the difference: practical tuning compromises
35:04 – Can digital instruments meet the bagpipe halfway?
35:45 – The hidden truth: even great pianos aren’t perfectly “in tune”
37:11 – Why pure intervals are so addictive (and ruin everything else)
41:38 – Do B-flat chanters fix the problem?
43:47 – Finding your place on the just ↔ equal temperament spectrum

This week on Dojo U’s "Strike-In" Q&A, Andrew and Carl dig into everything from reed disasters and confusing judges’ comments to tuning, piobaireachd mindset, and band dynamics.

Here’s what we cover this week:

• 00:00 – Exhibit D: introducing the new segment breaking down piping-related social media images
• 01:25 – A crushed, darkened reed: what it reveals about mold, storage, and poor setup habits
• 06:18 – Another smashed reed: how it happens (yes, the chanter cork) and a simple pre-play check to avoid it
• 10:01 – Matching shirts Q&A: “Who’s the nice one?” (inspired by Ed Best)
• 12:45 – Piobaireachd: is it more about mental endurance or technique?
• 20:38 – “Pipes tuned too close”: making sense of confusing or contradictory judge feedback
• 27:46 – Struggling to hear locked-in drones: how to actually develop your ear (and why it never really ends)
• 37:20 – Favourite places to play: from the World’s to the band hall when everything clicks
• 40:56 – Demoting players in a band: how to handle it clearly, fairly, and without unnecessary friction
• 46:00 – Blowing inconsistencies at band: what helps, what doesn’t, and why the real work happens at home

What if trying to be relaxed when you play is actually a kind of denial – one that could affect your overall development as a piper?

This week, Andrew and Jim explore what real control and calm actually look like in practice, why rushing and cramping show up when they do, and how many players end up stuck in a kind of “false chill” that can limit progress.

Here’s what we cover in this episode:

• 00:30 – Why “just relax” isn’t helpful advice
• 01:10 – The myth of the chill player (and a Bob Marley detour)
• 01:36 – The chill–tension continuum: finding your baseline
• 05:29 – Recording anxiety and the tendency to rush
• 06:05 – Hand cramping and fears around focal dystonia
• 06:46 – Stuart Liddell’s playing and the sound of real ease
• 09:57 – Reactive vs proactive rhythm: why rushing happens
• 10:59 – “Pretending to be relaxed” – spotting avoidance
• 11:16 – How responsibility changes your relationship to “chill”
• 12:51 – Pre-chill, false chill, and what’s really going on
• 13:34 – Why most “chill” is actually denial
• 14:58 – Pre-chill vs post-chill: earning relaxation
• 16:39 – What genuine relaxation actually feels like
• 19:40 – Posture, tension, and diagnosing cramping
• 25:02 – “Slow is smooth, smooth is fast” in real practice
• 26:16 – Is it fast playing, or just well-controlled?
• 28:22 – The “victory lap” trick: can you fake relaxation?
• 28:45 – Avoiding avoidance: the real solution
• 35:40 – Preparation vs relaxation in great players
• 37:33 – Competition chaos: making it up mid-performance
• 38:27 – A practical action plan: record, assess, adjust
• 40:34 – What “wealth” looks like in your playing
• 41:13 – Finger tension: finding the balance

This week on Dojo U’s Friday Strike-In Q&A, Andrew and Carl tackle a wide range of piping questions – from chanter choices and reed behaviour to rhythm fundamentals, travel tips, and getting the most out of your Dojo membership. Here’s what we cover this week:

• 00:00 – Poly vs. blackwood chanters: are plastic chanters becoming the new standard?
• 04:12 – Retuning on the fly: what to listen for when your drones drift mid-performance
• 06:38 – Tapping your foot while playing: why it’s harder than it sounds (and how to build it)
• 12:32 – Why reeds change day to day: consistency, moisture, and the real culprit
• 21:30 – Teaching beginners: should you learn all 11 Commandments of Mastery?
• 24:17 – Flying with your pipes: what you actually need (and what you don’t)
• 37:28 – Submitting recordings for feedback: how to get the most from Dojo coaching
• 39:41 – Basic vs. Premium: what solo pipers unlock with a premium membership

Should you be messing with your chanter reeds?   

This week, Andrew and Jim discuss the pros and cons of reed manipulation — pinching, licking, shaving, bridling, and everything in between. Are these habits actually helping your playing, or just creating more problems?  

Reed tweaks can feel like quick fixes. But as Andrew and Jim explore, most of them are temporary, inconsistent, and quietly destructive. Drawing on personal experience (and a few cautionary tales), they unpack why so many pipers reach for manipulation in the first place — and what to do instead.  

Here’s what we cover in this episode: 

• 00:12 – Skateboarding, chess, and the joy of being bad at things 
• 03:08 – Why reed manipulation is today’s focus 
• 03:26 – The performance supplements analogy (and the Icarus connection) 
• 08:57 – Reeds as precision instruments: why less is more 
• 15:23 – Why all manipulation is (technically) destructive 
• 17:56 – Buying hard reeds to shave down: risk vs reward 
• 22:57 – “If it ain’t broke…” (and why no one listens) 
• 24:55 – Pinching: what it does and how long it lasts 
• 29:35 – The real reason pipers manipulate reeds 
• 32:46 – Licking: pitch, vibration, and moisture science 
• 38:23 – Bridling: the “perma pinch” trade-offs 
• 39:57 – Reverse pinch / poking: opening the reed 
• 40:24 – Shaving: when (if ever) it makes sense 
• 45:07 – Jim’s lunch break experiment: resisting the urge 
• 47:05 – Reed rituals: superstition, habit, and hidden benefits 
• 50:02 – Final thoughts and why Icarus is worth a watch

This week on Dojo U’s Friday Strike-In, Andrew flies solo to answer a wide range of student questions, from solo playing tips to tenor reed management, pitch standards, finding a practice space after moving, and more.

Here’s what we cover this week:

• 00:00 – Solo playing insights
• 03:55 – Changing tenor reeds: one at a time or both? (plus transitioning from synthetic to cane)
• 10:37 – Practicing full pipes in a small apartment after moving (and piping vs married life)
• 15:28 – How high is too high? Understanding pitch standards for bands and solos
• 23:02 – Do you have to join a band? Navigating limited local options
• 26:30 – Piping in Scottish schools: professionalism, curriculum, and the SQA
• 29:31 – Squeezing arm movement: when is it a red flag?
• 30:50 – Fixing hemp stuck in the chanter seat when removing a reed
• 33:18 – Practice chanter priorities: moisture control vs realistic spacing
• 34:21 – Drones in battle: cardio benefit or myth? (history + debate)
• 35:56 – Returning to traditional gear: where to start with hide bags and cane reeds
• 36:29 – Cleaning and polishing your piping shoes (quick-fire tip)

Ever felt your heart race, your hands shake, or your mind go blank before playing? This episode will help you understand why... and what to actually do about it.   Nerves can feel paralysing for pipers (or any performer). But they're a natural part of performance, and when understood properly they can become one of your greatest tools as a musician.   This week, Andrew and Jim dig into why performing feels so different from the practice room, drawing on insights from violinist and educator Maggie Watson. They explore how perception shapes physiology, why even highly trained players can feel more nervous than beginners, and what separates practice from performance as two completely different disciplines.   Here’s what we cover in this episode: 02:13 – Why performance nerves are today’s focus 03:11 – “I have thoughts, but I’m fallible” – Andrew’s disclaimer 04:41 – Why performance feels different from practice (Maggie Watson) 09:23 – Practice vs performance: two separate skill sets 10:40 – The lava pit analogy: how stakes change everything 14:51 – How perception drives physical response 15:04 – Why better players often feel more nervous 17:08 – Audience perception: competition vs parade mindset 22:36 – Why “just calm down” doesn’t work 23:21 – Reframing nerves as readiness 27:25 – Mental rehearsal and worst-case scenarios 28:35 – Simulating pressure at home (Jim’s Facebook Live approach) 29:56 – Quick strategies: breathing, body scans, reframing 30:14 – The real solution: practicing under pressure 30:36 – The one take rule and performance-style practice 36:22 – Alter egos: Sasha Fierce to Piper Supreme 39:42 – Performance rituals: kilts, tuning, and focus 43:40 – “Knowing the tunes is not enough” 46:31 – Performance as its own discipline 49:38 – Testing yourself under pressure

Getting better at piping isn’t about chasing every new piece of gear — it’s about understanding how your instruments, your ears, and your environment all work together.

This week on Dojo U’s Friday Strike-In, Andrew and Carl tackle student questions on cane drone reeds, ear training, synthetic chanter reeds, competition judging, and more practical piping topics. 

Here's what we cover this week:

• 00:00 – Old cane reeds vs buying new
• 06:33 – Cane season, setups, and batch buying
• 10:00 – When cane won’t cooperate (weather and ageing)
• 12:45 – Championship-winning reeds nostalgia
• 15:20 – Training your ear to understand judges
• 18:00 – Should score sheets be public?
• 20:10 – Why not to stress about ear training
• 23:30 – Synthetic chanter reeds — challenges and demand
• 27:00 – Ridge-cut reeds feeling easier after warm-up
• 29:45 – Member directory: privacy vs connection
• 31:30 – Ideal 6/8 tempo for drum majors
• 33:20 – Efficient drone reeds for lighter setups
• 35:00 – Do quartets improve band unison?
• 38:30 – Instructor misconceptions in the piping community
• 41:00 – Getting friends interested in bagpipes