479 - Can Playing in a Band Sabotage Your Solo Piping?

Ever wondered if playing in a band might actually sabotage your solo piping?

This week, Andrew and Carl dive into the age-old struggle between band tempos, solo control, and the chaos that happens when adrenaline meets bagpipes, as they unpack how to stay in control when the bandroom gets loud — literally and figuratively.

The chat then veers into classic Dojo territory: why most practice chanters sound like sad recorders, whether synthetic reeds will ever be a thing, and the art of mic’ing drones without breaking your neck.

There’s also a few strong opinions about hard vs. easy reeds, and the eternal mystery of how long you should really hold that E before a pickup.

🎵 Tune in and join the conversation at pipersdojo.com!

Here’s what we cover this week:

• 00:00 – Can Being in a Band Sabotage Your Playing?
• 08:00 – Developing Control and Mastery
• 13:00 – Practice Chanters: Why Aren’t They Standardized?
• 22:00 – Jack Lee Steps Down as Pipe Sergeant of SFU
• 31:00 – Will Synthetic Chanter Reeds Ever Become a Thing?
• 36:00 – How Long Should You Hold E Before a Pickup Note?
• 41:00 – Micing Bagpipe Drones: Gear Recommendations
• 46:00 – Does a Hard Reed Equal Better Tone?
• 51:00 – Closing Thoughts and Q&A