One Thing At A Time (Dojo Conversations Episode 124)

Ever felt like you're spinning in circles trying to fix everything at once – tuning, timing, pressure, remembering tunes, embellishments?

You don’t have to do it all at once. In fact, you shouldn’t. Progress doesn’t have to mean doing more; it can mean doing *less*, but *better*. Focusing on just one thing at a time can transform your piping – and your confidence.

This week, Andrew and Jim get real about the chaos that can come with learning the pipes. From fasting before blood work to skeptical takes on DNA kits (and a few hilarious piping mishaps along the way), they unpack the power of focusing on just one thing at a time. Whether you're just starting out or you've been playing for years, you'll pick up some solid, practical tips for structuring your practice, cutting down on overwhelm, and tuning into what really matters.

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

Here’s what we cover this week:
00:00 Introduction and Morning Struggles
00:54 DNA Kits and Genetic Skepticism
02:25 Bagpipe Challenges and Overwhelm
04:42 The Importance of Routine in Bagpiping
16:02 Learning and Teaching Bagpipes
19:13 Setting Up Your Bagpipes
19:40 Starting with the Drones
19:48 Introducing the Chanter
20:31 Proper Bag Inflation
21:32 Learning Tunes One Step at a Time
22:40 Listening to Different Renditions
27:43 Adding Embellishments Gradually
28:39 The Importance of Focus
33:52 Juggling and Multitasking
36:45 Wrapping Up and Final Thoughts
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Dojo University is the longest-running and most successful online bagpiping and drumming school in the world.

We teach thousands of students around the world how to play good music – mastering the art of learning and playing the bagpipes and drums in the process – in a highly accessible way that is completely unlike anything else you'll find online or in person, anywhere in the world.

We created Dojo U because we noticed that too many pipers and drummers were struggling out there in the world. Bagpiping should be a joyful experience, each and every day you pick up your instrument. If it's not, we strive to fix that before it's too late.

And whether you're a complete beginner, a parade or experienced player, a pipe major or drum sergeant, or a pro-level competitor... you can free yourself from musical frustration at Dojo U.

At Dojo U, we do things a little differently to how you may have approached learning to play the bagpipes before. One of the key reasons for our ongoing success is that we're always evolving, improving, and growing. We'd love to welcome you back and show you around!

Find Andrew and the Piper's Dojo Team here:

Dojo University Online Bagpipe School: http://pipersdojo.com
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