Compound Interest on the Bagpipes
Just like police recruits often get tased before graduation, I've insisted that our entire Dojo U teaching team needs to personally work their way through…
Category: News & Blog
Posts of news and events from Dojo U
Understanding Harmonics—Part 2
How many pipers have a firm grasp of the physics of sound that causes the unique and rich sound of our bagpipes? We are told that we should maintain a pressure in the pipe bag that is at the chanter reed’s “sweet spot”, that pressure that causes the reed to maximally vibrate and bring out the most “harmonics” and richness of sound of the reed. But what, really, are harmonics?
It Doesn't Take Talent to Hustle
Andy was not athletically gifted. At full speed, he was still always a step slower than his teammates. His arm was not particularly strong and he lacked the quickness and coordination to regularly put the bat on the ball.
Yet, Andy had qualities that made him a coach’s delight...
What is Bagpipe Freedom?
Why did you first pick up a set of bagpipes? Did you want to play a moving rendition of Amazing Grace at the graveside? Were…
A (Very) Brief History of the Bagpipes
When most people think of bagpipes they think of the Highland bagpipes or the Irish Uilleann pipes. While these are currently the most visible and popular bagpipes, they are not the only ones.
Nature or Nurture: What Makes a Great Piper?
Nature or nurture? Do the top pipers in the world possess some sort of genetic predisposition that allows them to play with speed, grace, and expression?
Do You Need 10,000 Hours of Practice?
How do you get good at something? The answer has always been practice, practice, practice. The real question is, how long does it take to get good? There is the saying, that has been around for a while, that it takes 10,000 hours to master a skill. Does it really take 10,000 hours to become a master?
Crafting Great Tuning Sets
Knowing a tune is good.
Knowing a set is better.
Being able to play a good sounding set that also lets you check the tuning on your pipes is the best.
Having a good tune, or set, that allows you to make sure everything sounds correct, but you can also use to entertain, kills two birds with one stone and gives your repertoire depth.
Better Bagpipes While You Sleep
Learning to play the bagpipes can be demanding. Sometimes, in spite of all your efforts, you 'plateau' or get stuck, never seeming to improve past what you’ve been struggling with.