397 - Has Bagpipe Pitch Gone Too High? (Dojo Conversations Ep 67)

Do bagpipes seem sharper in pitch than they used to be? That's because they are...

This week, Andrew and Jim answer a listener question about why bagpipes have become sharper over time. We look at the history of pitch, how it affects tuning to mix and match old chanters and new reeds, and also at before a left turn into the implications of rising pitch for competitions (for better or worse). Plus, will we ever figure out the magic pitch that will help us make first contact with aliens? Listen in to find out!

This week, we cover:
00:00 Opening Thoughts on Competition and Aliens
00:21 A Morning Chat: From Sickness to Bagpipes
01:09 Listener's Query: The Sharpness of Bagpipes
02:31 Exploring Bagpipe History and Pitch Evolution
07:50 The Science and History of Musical Pitch
16:17 The Bagpipe Pitch Debate: Tradition vs. Modernity
20:51 Judging Bagpipe Competitions: Pitch Preferences
28:54 Concluding Thoughts on Bagpipe Pitch and Future Directions