381 - The 4 Questions You Should Be Asking Every Time You Play (Dojo Conversations Episode 51)

Do your pipes ever feel hard to play? If you’re not asking these 4 questions every time you pick them up out of the box, you’re setting yourself up to fail before you play a single note…

This week, Andrew and Jim discuss the 4 questions of bagpipe maintenance that are a ‘pre-flight’ checklist to make sure you’re set up for success every time you play. By making a system of these and building it into your piping routine, you’ll avoid future problems and have the best chance at a great practice or performance, every time. 

Check out our free PDF that outlines these essential questions: pipersdojo.com/4questions

Got a topic you’d like us to cover in a future episode? Leave a comment or send it to [email protected]!

Topics covered this week:

00:00 Introduction and Initial Discussion

00:01 The Importance of Pre-Flight Checklist in Bagpipe Playing

01:44 Understanding the Concept of Air Tightness and Efficiency

04:24 The Role of Bagpipe Maintenance in Performance

06:57 The Four Questions of Bagpipe Maintenance

08:36 The Importance of Airtight Bagpipes

11:35 Checking the Joints of the Bagpipes

14:51 Discussing the Use of Natural Materials

14:51 Technical Difficulties and Solutions

14:51 Back to the Topic: Hemp

15:04 Ensuring Airtight Joints

15:54 The Importance of Reed Seats

18:50 The 'Scotland the Brave' Test

21:31 Calibrating Drone Reeds

26:56 The Four Questions of Bagpipe Maintenance

27:44 The Importance of Routine Checks

31:03 Consequences of Poor Bagpipe Performance

31:40 Wrapping Up and Further Learning