The Piper's Dojo

The Piper's Dojo We make world-class music instruction accessible to any piper or drummer, anywhere in the world.

The leading online bagpiping school for more than a decade, Dojo University is your home base for becoming a better musician.

08/31/2026

Are Your Drone Reeds Too Old? Plus Band Changes, Pitch & More (Dojo Q&A Session)

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?

08/30/2026

Can you guess the mystery band and decade just by listening to the audio?

Play along with one of “Jim’s Dumb Games” this week, as 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.

See if you can guess them all before Andrew does – check out the full episode on YouTube, Facebook or wherever you listen to podcasts!

🥁 INTRODUCING DOJO U'S NEWEST TUTOR!We're excited to welcome Hannah Skinner to Dojo University as our new Tenor & Bass T...
08/27/2026

🥁 INTRODUCING DOJO U'S NEWEST TUTOR!

We're excited to welcome Hannah Skinner to Dojo University as our new Tenor & Bass Tutor!

Hannah has competed at the highest levels of pipe band drumming, including winning the North American Championships with the Grade 1 City of Dunedin Pipe Band, and the World Pipe Band Championships with their Grade 2 band in 2018.

She's currently Lead Drummer with the Virginia International Tattoo, and is also an experienced educator, percussionist and instructor, teaching drummers across the US and internationally.

From September 1, Hannah will be teaching 3 live classes every week, giving tenor and bass players regular opportunities to learn, ask questions and get feedback from a world-class performer and educator.

🥁 Join Dojo U Drumming with a FREE 30-day trial today: https://pipersdojo.com/drum

There's never been a better time to join, with access to:
🥁 NEW Tenor Drummer's Beginner's Course – learn to play tenor at your own pace
🥁 NEW course, The Off Season Game Plan: Preparing Your Drum Corps – a new recorded mini-series to get your corps ready for the year ahead
🥁 NEW Bass Drummer's Beginner's Course launching October 1st
🥁 Live snare and rhythm classes each week with Ed Best
🥁 Access to the ever-growing Dojo U Drumming lesson archive

Whether you're already drumming, getting back into it, or just starting out – join today to level up your drumming!

🥁 Join Dojo U Drumming: https://pipersdojo.com/drum

08/26/2026

How well do you know the sound of pipe bands through the decades?

Play along with one of “Jim’s Dumb Games” this week, as 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.

See if you can guess them all before Andrew does – check out the full episode on YouTube, Facebook or wherever you listen to podcasts!

🥁 CALLING ALL DRUMMERS! 🥁There’s never been a better time to join Dojo U Drumming, with more live instruction than ever ...
08/26/2026

🥁 CALLING ALL DRUMMERS! 🥁

There’s never been a better time to join Dojo U Drumming, with more live instruction than ever and new resources to help you level up your drumming.

And best of all – you can trial it for 30 days for FREE!

🥁 Join Dojo U Drumming today: pipersdojo.com/drum

Here’s what’s in store, starting September 1st:
🥁 NEW – 3 live Tenor & Bass classes every week with new tutor Hannah Skinner
🥁 NEW – Tenor Drummer’s Beginner’s Course – learn to play tenor at your own pace
🥁 NEW – The Off Season Game Plan: Preparing Your Drum Corps – a new recorded mini-series to get your corps ready for the year ahead
🥁 NEW – Bass Drummer’s Beginner’s Course launching October 1st
🥁 Live snare and rhythm classes with Ed Best
🥁 Access to the ever-growing Dojo U Drumming lesson archive

We’d love to welcome you to our supportive global community!

🥁 Join Dojo U Drumming today: pipersdojo.com/drum

🥁 CALLING ALL DRUMMERS! 🥁There's never been a better time to join Dojo U Drumming, with more live instruction than ever ...
08/26/2026

🥁 CALLING ALL DRUMMERS! 🥁

There's never been a better time to join Dojo U Drumming, with more live instruction than ever and new resources to help you level up your drumming.

And best of all – you can trial it for 30 days for FREE!

🥁 Join Dojo U Drumming today: https://pipersdojo.com/drum

Here's what's in store, starting September 1st:
🥁 NEW – 3 live Tenor & Bass classes every week with new tutor Hannah Skinner
🥁 NEW – Tenor Drummer's Beginner's Course – learn to play tenor at your own pace
🥁 NEW – The Off Season Game Plan: Preparing Your Drum Corps – a new recorded mini-series to get your corps ready for the year ahead
🥁 NEW – Bass Drummer's Beginner's Course launching October 1st
🥁 Live snare and rhythm classes with Ed Best
🥁 Access to the ever-growing Dojo U Drumming lesson archive

We'd love to welcome you to our supportive global community!

🥁 Join Dojo U Drumming today: https://pipersdojo.com/drum

08/24/2026

Can You Guess the Decade? Pipe Bands Through the Years (Dojo Conversations Episode 168)

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

08/20/2026

If you hitched a ride on the Magic School Bus through your bagpipe, where would you see air molecules escaping?

In this episode, Andrew and Jim think through how every molecule from your lungs goes to the chanter reed, looking for the places where precious air – and power – gets lost along the way.

Check out the full episode on Facebook, YouTube, or wherever you listen to podcasts!

08/18/2026

How to Get a New Tune Up to Tempo (Dojo Class Preview w/ Carl)

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 ex*****on

Address

Troy, NY

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when The Piper's Dojo posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Establishment

Send a message to The Piper's Dojo:

Shortcuts

Share