355 - How to be a world-class bagpiper... in 100 words (Dojo Conversations Ep 27)
Becoming a great player is clearly possible, as many pipers achieve it. But it's easy to feel like we're getting stagnant or plateauing in our progress. So could becoming a world-class piper really be simple enough to boil down into 100 words?
Absolutely! Here they are:
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"Every day: listen to masterful bagpipe music, interact with bagpipers better than you, play at least one tune on full bagpipes.
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Most days: hone essential fundamentals, in this order of priority:
1. Rhythmic Accuracy
2. Scale Navigation
3. Gracenote Quality
4. Blowing Mechanics/Posture
5. Tuning drones together
6. Maintaining optimal blowing pressure.
7. Tuning drones to chanter
8. Avoiding “Mental Blowing Anomalies”
9. Embellishment
10. “Expression” Technique
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Practice as wide an array of tunes as humanly possible. Be wary of routine! Keep practice very short, singularly focused, and objective. Afterwards, play strictly for enjoyment.
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Regularly put yourself in new, challenging musical situations. Play for self-expression, never for accolades.
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This week on Dojo Conversations, Andrew and Jim discuss Andrew's 100-word blueprint for improving at bagpipes. It's at the heart of his personal experience and piping philosophy, and forms the core of Dojo University's approach to teaching (the "Five Phases to Bagpipe Freedom").
So could you adopt this blueprint to become a world-class piper yourself? Tune in to find out...
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