Master Bagpipe Instrument Fundamentals
... a Dojo University Core Course
An in-depth course unveiling the 13 Steps to Great Bagpipe Sound that come together to forge a bullet-proof instrument.
What if you didn't have to struggle to extract a marvelous, sparking tone from your bagpipe, each and every time you played?
Instead, what if the challenge was simply just how much tonal quality you could extract?
It probably sounds crazy, but bagpiping is no different than any other mastery oriented skill. For some reason, we are all led to believe that setting up our pipes is a mystical endeavor, and that the secrets to a great sounding bagpipe lie deep in the souls of famous players but - guess what - it's not!
Just like a basketball player has certain fundamentals to master in order to be part of a great team (dribbling, defense, boxing out, and of course shooting), bagpipers have a set of basic fundamentals they need to master as well.
Are you following me?
"Hoping and praying" (and PAYING?) that the right bagpipe sound tips come your way is no way to set up your bagpipes, at any time. I can promise you no improvement will be made. Some people can tune their pipes and play well within 6 months. Yet, you're still struggling - why is this?
... it's because you haven't figured out the process of a great sounding bagpipe yet.
So, what is this process I speak of, and how can you implement it into your own day-to-day process so that your pipes sound good every time you pick them up?
Well, that's exactly what you're about to learn...
FACT: There are thirteen (And ONLY 13) steps to achieving a great bagpipe sound, every time.
(...Oh - and they're not complicated, by the way...)
Fundamentals are the life-blood of all great-sounding bagpipes.
It sounds a bit boring... but I've got news for you; it's true.
That's why going to a few private lessons with a "famous" piper every now and then just isn't enough. Even the best, most well-intentioned instructor will struggle to distill solid, repeatable, masterable fundamental skills in the short time that you're there for your lesson.
Indeed, bagpipe "lessons" in the traditional sense of the word are for refining te way you set up your pipes, for adding the "icing" to the cake that you've generated based on your own existing skillset.
So...where do we get the proverbial "cake"?
Where do we go to develop a clear sense of direction, a repeatabe system for creating a great sound out of ou bagpipes, on a daily basis?
Well, that's where this course comes in.
By the time you've finished the Instrument Fundamentals "Core" Course here at Dojo U, you'll have developed a keen sense of the 13 simple steps to bagpipe sound that you need to produce great tone and tuning every time you pick 'em up out of the box..
Now that you've digested the course and worked on the key concepts, you'll have your bagpipe sound 95% of the way to greatness before you show up at your lesson (or to a band practice for that matter). You'll be a true piper, ready to express yourself through a beautiful sounding instrument- instead of struggling just to make some sort of sound come out...
What You'll Learn in This Course
The 13 Non-Subjective Steps (in order) to achieving amazing bagpipe sound.
Would it have been easier to say "objective"? Sure, probably. But the fact that the 13 steps are free from the many subjective fallacies that cut pipers down out there in the bagpipe world is what's most important. We'll learn what the 13 are, why the order of the steps is so important, and how they'll help you become a great piper, in this course.
This isn't witchcraft - this is real, objective, simple steps that build on eachother to get you to the finish line.
The Reel Reason Tuning SEEMS so difficult.
Why is tuning so hard? (Not actually the right question to ask).
In this course, each element inside our "bagpipe tree of sound" will be discussed, and we will illustrate that bagpipe tuning actually isn't as impossible as it seems, but that great tuning is built on pre-requisite fundamentals that must be mastered first. What are these skills, and how do we develop them? Now THAT is the right question, and we'll dig deep into all of the elements in this course.
Cutting through the "B.S."
Yep, I'm sorry to say that there's a lot of B.S. out there in regards to bagpipe maintenance, bagpipe tone, bagpipe tuning, tuning pipe bands, manipulating chanter reeds, tying in bags, etc.
Rather than ambling dazedly through the terrain of nonsense that has formed as a resut of all of this B.S., this course cuts through the noise with simple, objective, logical methods that will put all of the other "theories" to rest.
How to Implement Concepts to Generate Improvement
After each lesson is taught, we'll spend time to carefully discuss how to best-implement what you've learned to generate efficient improvement. Most of us can't spend 3 hours a day developing steady blowing. So, what can you do in 5-10 minutes per day? The great thing about developing a simple, objective bagpipe-sound skillset is that practicing that skillset can be simple and objective as well!
Master the 13 Steps of Bagpipe Sound Today!
Enroll Now
"Bagpipes are too hard to play", "Most people can't get a proper sound out of them". "Who's killing their cats?" How many times have we heard it?
Playing an instrument properly requires that the instrument be set up and maintained properly, and ultimately this requires a thorough understanding of how that's done. From simple hemping and making sure your bag is tip-top air-tight, picking a solid sounding reed, and ultimately making sure your instrument is comfortable to play. The Instrument Fundamentals Course leaves no stone un-turned. I regularly use the information gleaned from this course to encourage better sound from my bandmates, and that's music to everybody's ears.
Tim Gatehouse, Pennsylvania
Bagpipe Instrument Fundamentals Course Details
In this 16-hour course you'll learn everything you need to know to master the simple, objective fundamentals that make excellent bagpipe sound.
Module 1
The Bagpipe "Tree of Sound"
Module 2
Bagpipe Maintenance
Module 3
Tonal Quality
Module 4
Tuning
Module 5
Developing a Routine
Module 6
Advanced Chanter Reed Concepts
Module 7
Bagpipe Sound in Pipe Bands
Instrument Fundamentals Course
Just $149
ENROLL NOW
The Bagpipe Composition Course is:
- 7 Core Modules
- 30+ Video Lessons
- PDF Lesson "Handouts"
- Quizzes after each lesson.
- Final Exam at the end of the course
Course Details:
- Level: Beginner through Advanced (you should be able to play a few tunes on the pipes before attempting).
- Setting: Online/Virtual
- Course Length: 15-20 Hours Expected Completion Time: 1-3 Weeks
Why Should You Take This Course?
If you're a soloist...
...this course will set you apart from the pack.
Unlike other pipers who amble and wander through the difficult subjective terrain of bagpipe tone and tuning, you'll have a clear path to mastery. One that's measurable, and easily (simply) improved upon on a day to day basis.
The bottom line: It'll make you a better piper.
This is the exact same method we've used in and around the Dojo to produce winning performances at the professional level all the way to the entry-level grade.
And we've held nothing back in this course. This is the playbook.
So, if you want to:
- Enhance your enjoyment of piping
- Move up the ranks of solo competing
- Learn to develop your students faster, and better, with more enjoyment along the way...
...this course is for you.
If you're in a band...
... do you ever struggle to create great tone and tuning in your band?
Or, if you do get decent tuning, do you struggle to "find the sweetness"? I.e., you're tuned well but it still doesn't sound amazing to you?
A band that embraces the Dojo fundamentals - i.e. a band where each individual is striving for great bagpipe maintenance, tonal quality, and tuning - literally can't NOT drastically improve their sound on a day to day basis.
Think about it - if each individual has a deep (and ever-improving) knowledge of each facet of bagpipe sound, and experience making adjustments on-the-fly to the core tenants of each fundamental, the hard work of creating tonal unison is happening automatically, organically, within the group.
As a side-note, this is the exact same system of poducing tone and tuning we've taught to several world-champion juvenille bands, and the one we used to bring the Oran Mor Pipe Band from the middle of the pack in Grade 2 to qualifying for the World Championship Final in Grade 1 in just a few short years.
So, if you're a rank-and-file member of a pipe corps, or if you instruct a pipe section - this course is must if you're serious about moving the needle in the right direction.
Master the 13 Steps of Bagpipe Sound Today!
Enroll Now
About your instructor
“My name is Andrew Douglas and I'm the founder of the Piper's Dojo and creator of Dojo University, our online learning portal for bagpipers. I'm super excited to be your guide as we drill into some of the most esstential fundamental elements of bagpipe instrument fundamentals... So glad to have you aboard!"
— Andrew Douglas
- Founder, Creator, and CEO of the Piper's Dojo and Dojo University
- 2017 & 2019 World Champion with Inveraray and District Pipe Band
- 2017 Winner of USA Silver Medal for Piobaireachd
- 2008-2013 Pipe Major of Grade 1 Oran Mor Pipe Band
- Multi-prize winner, Silver Medals at Oban and Inverness
- Former Winner of B-Grade Strathspey/Reel at Oban (2004)
- EUSPBA Adjudicator
- Certified Teacher and Examiner with the Scottish Qualifications Authority
Frequently Asked Questions
"Is this course right for my ability level?"
"What is a 'core' course?"
"How long will it take to access my course when I deliver it?"
"Can I download the course to watch offline?"
"Can I do this course on my phone/tablet?"
"Is there a guarantee?"
Master the 13 Steps of Bagpipe Sound Today!
Enroll Now
Dojo University Is Different.
Yes, you can find bagpipe instruction elsewhere on the internet and in person, but a Dojo University course is unique because it's built and taught by real-world bagpipers who have actually built these courses based on real-world experience (read: successes).
In other words, we aren't people who couldn't do so we made a course instead. We've been in the trenches teaching AND performing - we detest untested theory and believe that the best way to learn something is to roll up your sleeves and get your hands a little dirty. If that sounds appealing, then welcome! In Dojo U you've found your bagpipe home.
