How Would You Make Yourself Worse?
We often question what might make us a better player. We look to the greats, pore over books and podcasts and advice columns, soak up…
Category: Commandment 3: Simple Tools
Great masters of any craft learned the basics on the simplest possible tools. It’s a core tenet to mastering anything.
Did pilots learn to fly on a commercial 787 dreamliner? No. Did Pixar animators learn to draw on advanced computer software? No. Do they give you a graphing calculator in Kindergarten math class? No. How about fancy spell check software for children who are learning to draw their letter? Nope, not that either.
It’s important that we carry this knowledge over to playing the bagpipes. There is great reasoning behind not using complicated tools during the early stages of learning a skill. These tools obscure the essential techniques that will be required to become a master, and ironically ensure we never develop the true command of these techniques that might allow for the fancy tools to eventually be of use to us.
Unless you’ve mastered all of the tenets of bagpipe technique, the simplest possible bagpipe setup and process is the right one for you. Anything “fancier” than that is impeding your progress.
Are Hide Bags 'Simple'?
Here at Dojo U, we talk a lot about the importance of using simple tools. After all, you can buy all the complicated gadgetry you…
Advanced Piper? Great...Prove It!
If you're new at Dojo U, it's a lot like your first day at any other school. You check your class schedule, look at the…
Producing the Perfect Constant
Drone reeds are either the cause or the solution to the problem of creating a great sound out of three instruments (two tenors and a…
The Case for the Tube-Style Manometer
Animated discussions often spring up in our Dojo U student community about the merits of different types of manometer. In case you’re unfamiliar, a manometer…
You Gotta Put Down the Duckie
As it turns out, jazz virtuosos on Sesame Street were on to the "Simple Tools Commandment" long before the Dojo... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v6GKNGPDDKU Just substitute the word…
Set Yourself Up For a Successful New Year
Now that we're past Thanksgiving and Christmas – which are traditionally times to reflect on and appreciate what we have – we now start to…
Proper Hemping of Drone Reed Seats
Proper hemping of a drone reed seat is just about patience and getting the hemp to conform to the exact shape of the reed seat.…
EzeeDrone Tip: Removing "Rubber Hemp"
Presumably to make their reeds "fool-proof" for even the most "hands-off" pipers (and that's putting it nicely...), EzeeDrone and Selbie put rubber sleeves on their…
The Perfect Dojo Practice Environment and Bagpipe Setup
In order to be successful on your journey towards Bagpipe Freedom, you’re going to need a few things. Nothing here will be a huge surprise,…