Dojo University Bagpipe Tuning Clinic 2025
Rescue Your Bagpipe Sound
May 30 - June 1, 2025 • Troy, New York
Register Now
Tuning Your Bagpipes Shouldn't Be a Struggle
Are you one of the many pipers who just can't tune themselves (yet)?
It's the most basic element of playing any instrument, but many bagpipers just can't do it, no matter how hard they try.
As a teacher, it's painful to watch. Here are great folks, working as hard as they possibly can to tame the most noble of instruments, but one of the most basic elements just isn't happening for them. Spouses, family, and other pipers don't respect the time and the passion they put into the instrument because... can we be honest?
They just don't sound good when they play.
We go to bagpipe workshops because we have a glaring tuning weakness. We learn a lot about tuning (and tons of other topics). But, look closely: We don't actually learn that much about doing the process of tuning.
We touch it, talk about it, do it once or twice, then it's on to another big topic.
We never quite get our footing underneath us before we move on.
If I'm being honest, standard lessons with experts don't usually work to learn to tune either - 1 hour is not long enough to get into all the details. Even if you have lessons every week, that 1 hour lesson (followed by a loooong gap where you're on your own) doesn't build nearly enough momentum to learn tuning skills well.
Occasional, surface-layer lessons (whether an actual "bagpipe lesson" or at a bagpipe workshop) don't work when it comes to bagpipe tuning. It's too complex a task. It requires immense focus and repetition up front.
Not being able to play in tune and feel that rich, powerful, transcendent feeling that it gives you makes getting the pipes out of the box a chore instead of a reward. It makes you feel frustration. Go long enough without that passion or desire to play, and you're going to quit. Or even worse - you're going to keep playing but resenting the experience.
Enter the Dojo U Tuning Clinic!
Based on this huge challenge pipers face, I decided to put on a weekend workshop entirely focused on bagpipe tuning. No expression, no crossing noise exercises, no Piobaireachd lectures... JUST tuning.
When you learn to tune:
• Bagpiping becomes fun again.
• You desperately want to play your bagpipes LONGER instead of not at all.
• Your family and friends are (actually) proud of you.
• The world as a whole stops seeing the bagpipes as a joke.
Our Dojo University Tuning Clinic is the only bagpipe workshop that eliminates bad tuning by focusing on only tuning throughout an entire weekend. I promise you will be able to tune your pipes well by the end of our clinic.
How confident am I in that promise? Can I deliver? More on that later...
What To Expect
Experience what being in tune actually feels like
At the tuning clinic, you'll have hands-on-help from world-renowned tuning experts, so you can get help with those holes in your tuning technique, and then actually feel what being in tune is like. Many of us have never been in tune before. Feeling the sensation of playing your own well-tuned bagpipes is going to be a major break-through for you.
Be able to tune yourself on your own - again, and again
By taking a deep look into our 13 Steps of Great Bagpipe Sound, you'll start to see that there's a process to producing great bagpipe sound, and that you can learn to control that process. More importantly, you'll start to feel excited about piping, and you'll have breakthroughs that will carry through to every practice session you have from here on out.
Get your specific tuning needs addressed
Tuning is an intricate process, and your tuning issues might be different than the challenges others have.
At the tuning clinic, we have several lectures but have plenty of very small breakout sessions, so that you can get your specific needs addressed by our world-class instructors. Using this structure, you'll actually reach that incredible freeing feeling of tuning your pipes on your own by the end of the weekend.
Enjoy the knowledge AND the experience
The workshop takes place at the Arts Center of the Capital Region, home of the Dojo U headquarters in Troy, NY. During our Saturday lunch break, simply step outside the front door to soak in the shops, sounds, smells, and tastes of the famous Troy Waterfront Farmer's Market! There are plenty of sites to see and restaurants to visit in downtown Troy when you're not working on your piping.
Our host hotel is the Hilton Garden Inn on Hoosick Street, less than a ten minute drive from our workshop home base.
Schedule of Events
Friday
3:45pm-5:30pm - FIRST SESSION: Getting your pipes ready for launch!
In our first session, we're going to do a "gang-busters" review of bagpipe maintenance issues. We can't tune our pipes unless they are in pristine working order. We'll go through the essential 4 questions of bagpipe maintenance together as a group, and then we'll break-out into small groups to give all of our instruments a thorough "once over."
6pm - SOCIAL TIME
Friday evening, we'll have a chance to socialize together after our opening session. We will provide a list of recommended restaurants and pubs in the area.
Saturday
8:30am-9:15am - SECOND SESSION - Cornerstone #1: Steady Blowing
How are you supposed to tune a bagpipe that's not blown steadily? You aren't! In the first session, we'll talk about the development of a steady blowing cycle, and then we'll do some hands-on exercises to start to dial things in.
9:15am-10:15am - FIRST BREAKOUT SESSION
Now, we're going to break out and work in small groups and actually do the stuff we talked about! Do you ever get the feeling that the usual bagpipe workshops are all "blah blah" and not enough "do the thing"? Well, we do too! Let's get our hands dirty.
10:30am-11:00am - THIRD SESSION - Cornerstone #2: Tuning two drones together
Once we can blow steadily (or, at least, once we've got a plan), it's time to work on the next cornerstone of tuning - bringing drones in tune together. Afraid you don't have "the ear?" Just "can't do it"? We think you can, and we'll teach you how.
11:00am - 12:00pm - SECOND BREAKOUT SESSION
12:00pm-1:30pm - Lunch on your own
We HIGHLY recommend visiting the Troy Waterfront Farmers Market, right outside the front door on River St. It's a great time, and a great breath of fresh air after an intense morning!
1:30pm-2:30pm - FORTH SESSION - Cornerstone #3: Tuning drone(s) to the chanter
Believe it or not, once you can tune two drones together, there's really only one other key skill to master before we're done. And, we'll talk about that in this session. Here, we'll take what we've learned so far and apply it to the logistically challenging task of tuning the chanter and the drones together.
2:30pm-3:30pm - THIRD BREAKOUT SESSION
3:45pm-4:15pm - FIFTH SESSION - Cornerstone #4: Bagpipe Tuning "Workflow"
So, we can tune our drones together, check! We can tune our drone to our chanter... check!
Now what?
Well, now we'll put it all together, using one of two classic "tuning workflows."
4:15pm-5:15pm - FOURTH BREAKOUT SESSION
5:15pm-5:45pm - SATURDAY RECAP, SUNDAY PREVIEW
This is a final get-together to recap the arc of the day, and preview a few topics we'll cover tomorrow morning.
6:30pm - GROUP DINNER
Join us for a group dinner courtesy of Dojo U. (Drinks are on your own tab, though.)
Sunday
8:30am - 11:00am - GUIDED PRACTICE
Today, it's time to simply practice. Let's work through the skills we've develop thus far, and just get some reps in.
We'll be there to guide you when you get stuck. Soon though, it'll be time to head out into the real world of piping - when you do, you'll have the confidence and "tuning swagger" you need to truly up your game.
BONUS: Recieve "The Great Tuning Algorithm" Mega-course included with registration!
If you sign up as part of our 15 registrants, we'll grant you instant access to the world's most complete bagpipe tuning course ever created - "The Great Bagpipe Tuning Algorithm". It features in depth, "full circle" information and tactics about the inputs, processes and outputs of bagpipe tuning.
If you want to dive in feet-first to bagpipe tuning starting today, there's also the option to upgrade your tuning course to include several expansion courses, a 300-page text book, and 13 hour-long tuning interviews with many of the world's greatest pipers, for just $49 additional. See the checkout page for the option to upgrade.
This course usually sells for over $200, but it's free with tuning clinic registration today (as long as you register before we fill up)
Meet Your Instructors
ANDREW DOUGLAS
Andrew is a prolific practitioner of the bagpipe, active at the highest level of pipe bands, solo competition, teaching, and creative endeavors for the past 20 years. He was 2017 & 2019 World Champion with Inveraray and District Pipe Band, 2017 Winner of the USA Silver Medal for Piobaireachd, 2008–2013 Pipe Major of Grade 1 Oran Mor Pipe Band, multi-prize winner of Silver Medals at Oban and Inverness, the 2004 B-Grade Winner Strathspey/Reel at Oban. Andrew published his debut and award-winning book, Finding Bagpipe Freedom, in 2021. He's also an Accredited Bagpipe Teacher and Examiner (Scottish Qualifications Authority) and holds a Bachelor Degree in Fine Arts from Simon Fraser University.
ANDREW FUSCO
Originally from upstate New York, Andy is now well and truly a Las Vegas local. In addition to running the Las Vegas Pipe Band as Pipe Major for more than a decade, Andy performs and teaches bagpipes full-time, is a kit drummer for two Vegas rock bands, and co-hosts a notoriously popular piping podcast. Andy has played in the World Pipe Band Championships several times and enjoys travelling overseas to play at competitions and events. Andy has been a popular weekly class tutor at the Dojo for many years, and is also a Dojo U workshop, cruise, and special event regular instructor.
ERIC OUELETTE
Eric began playing pipes 20 years ago under the tutelage of his uncle, Don Dixon. Shortly thereafter, he learned from Mike MacNintch, and later Chuck Murdoch and Nancy Tunnicliffe. He won the Nicol Brown chalice for piobaireachd in 2004, and was promoted to the professional grade at age 16 that fall. Since that time, he has accrued numerous solo prizes, most notably winning the B strathspey and reel at the Argyllshire Gathering in 2014, the overall champion piper at Blairgowrie in 2015, second place in the strathspey and reel at Braemar in 2015, the overall champion piper at the Lonach Gathering in 2015 (including first for the unique “Willie Grant tune” event), as well as a 3 year consecutive win streak of the B piobaireachd at the Perth Highland Games from 2013-2015. He has remained active in pipe bands. Following many years in the Manchester Pipe Band (1998-2004), the Oran Mor Pipe Band (2005- 2013) and the Stuart Highlanders Pipe Band (2013-2015), he was a member of the Inveraray and District Pipe Band from 2016-2022, taking part in numerous major championship wins and placings, including the band’s victories at the World Pipe Band Championships in 2017 and 2019. During that time, he and his friend Derek Cooper actively developed the Ulster Scottish Pipe Band of Philadelphia. Upon departing from IDPB and taking on the Ulster band full time, the band has continued to progress, currently competing in grade 2. Under Eric’s leadership as Pipe Major, the band achieved a 6th place finish at the 2024 World Championships after winning every contest played in North America this season.
Dojo Events Are The Real Deal
JIMMY GRIFF
USA
"If you were to take one school or course for the entire year, this would be the one."
"If you’re struggling playing or trying to figure out the secrets of how to get your pipes tuned in relative short time with ease - look no further, this is the course."
SUSAN ROSS
Canada
"After attending the tuning clinic, I feel like I've been again empowered to take ownership for how my pipes sound."
"I now have an easy to remember step by step process to follow, including what to do if I don't know what to do next. I would highly recommend this clinic, and I feel like it is money and time very well spent, and that I can sustain it, and develop from the base of knowledge and skills I've been given."
SCOTT PHILLIPS
USA
"I finally feel like I might be able to consistently get my pipes sounding great!"
"All of the steps that go into achieving a good sound on a well-tuned bagpipe broken were down into manageable pieces that can be practiced and mastered before moving on. Learning the process this way made more sense than any other instruction I've had on the topic of bagpipe tuning!"
100% Satisfaction Guarantee
We promise that you'll be able to tune your pipes well by the end of this weekend workshop. It's as simple as that.
Tuning is the main ingredient to FEELING GOOD about playing the bagpipes. It's what gives you confidence, what makes others respect and admire you, what allows you to use the bagpipes to transcend the toils of every day life.
If our usual methods don't work for you, we'll turn over every stone we can think of to help you learn to tune.
And of course - if you're not 100% thrilled with your results from the clinic, we'll give you your money back in full (and you can keep all three free bonus courses "on us.")
