The Ultimate Secret Ingredient to Being a Better Bagpiper or Drummer

Picture this – you're stuck on a desert island.

Would you rather have your practice chanter, or an endless playlist of great pipe band tunes?

If you didn't say the latter, you're missing the number one secret ingredient to being a better musician – immersion!

There’s a reason that the best bands and world-famous soloists tend to come from Scotland, major cities in Commonwealth countries, or piping families who have turned out generations of world-class pipers and drummers.

It’s not because they’re Scottish, from a piping family, or that ‘piping is in their blood’. If you think these world-class players are somehow magically or genetically blessed with mystical talent, you’re sorely mistaken.

It has as much potential to be in your stars as anyone else’s!

Do you know the actual, significant difference between them and you?

They’ve been immersed in piping and drumming for their entire lives – listening to great players, bands and recordings; dancing up a storm at ceilidhs in their hometowns; and having daily doses of the bagpiping culture that everyone around them is also enthusiastic about.

Something as simple and basic as their day to day environment has resulted in an effortless (mostly passive) absorption of a very good sense of what ‘good’ and ‘bad’ music sounds like, as well as decent fundamentals.

In any serious pursuit or undertaking, failure to immerse yourself in its environment is the first main reason for failure.

But how do you create such an immersive environment if you're not surrounded by people and places that live and breathe piping and drumming culture? What if you're in a 'bagpiping desert', with few bands, players, events or teachers around you to keep you motivated and connected to keep improving?

We've got you! Check out this week's podcast (link below) for our top 5 practical tips to up your immersion game (with plenty of recommendations to get you started)...