485 - Does Failing Faster Make You A Better Piper?

Ever wondered why some pipers seem to bounce back from mistakes effortlessly – or why your pipes sometimes feel great one day and impossible the next?

This week, Andrew and Carl dig into a whirlwind of community questions, from the end of the Insider podcast to the art of conscious practice, performance pressure, equipment choices, and knowing when you’re ready to buy your first full set of pipes.

They talk openly about experimenting (and failing) in public, why switching between pipes can throw you off, how nerves sabotage tunes you’ve played perfectly a hundred times, and why focused practice always beats endless reps. You’ll also hear their take on when in-person lessons are essential, how constraints can actually boost your creativity, and what gear Dojo instructors trust in their own playing.

🎵 Tune in at pipersdojo.com!

Here’s what we cover this week:

• 00:00 – Why the Insider Podcast Is Ending (and what’s staying)
• 03:34 – Learning Through Trying, Failing, and Iterating
• 03:56 – How to Diagnose Hard-to-Play Pipes (Andrew’s Four Questions)
• 09:43 – Why Tunes Fall Apart Under Pressure 1
• 0:07 – Beating Performance Nerves & Preparing for High-Stakes Moments
• 21:00 – Practice vs. Repetition: Hunting for Future Mistakes
• 23:26 – When In-Person Lessons Matter (and when online is better)
• 29:39 – How Constraints Can Increase Your Musical Creativity
• 33:50 – What Gear Dojo Teachers Actually Use
• 40:00 – When You Should Buy Your First Set of Pipes