464 - How To Fix Your Floppy Strike-Ins (Dojo Conversations Episode 134)

Are your strike ins leaving you deflated? 

This week, Andrew and Jim break down the real reasons your pipes might not be cooperating – from leaky bags and floppy setups to calibration quirks and climate curveballs. Plus, a little banter about band camp and Misty Mountain mugs to kick things off. Part one of a two-part deep dive into striking in.

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Here's what we cover this week:

 

  • 00:00 – Band camp flashbacks

  • 01:05 – A light Middle-earth geography squabble

  • 02:46 – Bagpipes and golf: where obsession meets art

  • 03:34 – Calibration 101: getting your drones to play nice

  • 05:46 – Strike-in theory vs. what actually happens

  • 11:30 – Making calibration part of your daily routine

  • 14:55 – Cane reeds: fragile, finicky, but oh-so sweet

  • 16:10 – Climate chaos and the Scotland setup struggle

  • 16:30 – What “efficiency” means in real life and piping

  • 17:34 – The mechanics of a clean strike-in

  • 19:27 – Why setup is everything

  • 21:15 – Fine-tuning your reeds and drones

  • 31:15 – Floppy bags and other setup saboteurs

  • 33:48 – Wrapping up: what’s next in part two