Having a routine and a set schedule on competition days is one of the most underrated aspects of pipe band competition. When band members know where they have to be (and when), the day becomes much easier to navigate. The…

In a couple of days, both Dartmouth and District Pipe Bands (grade 5 and 3) will be presenting a joint concert with the grade one 78th Highlanders (Halifax Citadel). This concert is one in a series of steps to prepare…

Last July my life changed forever. I was teaching a drum kit lesson to one of my adult students and, as I was packing up to leave, I felt a sharp pain in my lower back. 

I don’t remember…

"Is this an accent or a tap?"

If you are a lead drummer you have answered this question hundreds of times. If you are a corps drummer you have asked this question hundreds of times. These questions are asked whenever…

Change, when made purposefully and for the good of everyone, is always a good idea. But, sometimes, change can take a while.

In the pipe band world, things can take a long time to change! One of the most…

The phrase I heard most often as a child growing up was repeated constantly by my mother: "If you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all". My mother worked for many years as the fellowship coordinator at our…

On August 2, 2019, the Dartmouth and District Pipe Band from Nova Scotia won the North American Pipe Band Championships in grade 4. I am fortunate to be the lead drummer. We won every judging category (1,1,1,1) against some very…

Photo Credit: Rugged Motor Bike Jeans

Unison problems plagued my drum corps for my first six years as lead drummer. In my seventh year, however, I discovered (upon much reflection) that there was a solution to my unison issues sitting…

In psychology, the "flow state", also commonly known as "being in the zone", is the mental state in which a person performing an activity is fully immersed in a feeling of energized focus, full involvement, and enjoyment in the process.…

Taking criticism is hard. Sometimes it hurts and sometimes your pride and self-worth can take a brutal beating. What is criticism? From whom should we accept it? Why is it hard to take? Let's start with a definition.

What is…

Tempo has been an issue in every pipe band in which I've ever played. There have been tempo discussions at practice, tempo related comments after competitions and I have been yelled at and lectured at for tempo related issues. Tempo…

Chris Thile is an incredible musician. He is without doubt the most talented mandolin player on the planet. His current band, The Punch Brothers, has pushed the boundary of bluegrass to new and unique places using unorthodox chords, complex harmonies…

This past September my pipe band was buzzing with excitement as we made plans to go to Scotland for the World Championships. Adding to this excitement was the fact that three other pipe bands from the Canadian Maritime provinces would…

For any of you that follow this blog on a regular basis, you will know that I am an avid NBA basketball fan--specifically the Toronto Raptors. I have been watching the Raptors since the inception of the franchise and have…

The word "reps" is thrown around a lot in every pipe band. Every practice we hear...

"Get some reps in"

"We need to rep that some more"

"Don't forget to rep the second part"

What Does this Word Mean?

The…

The word "focus" is thrown around a lot. I hear often hear it in rehearsal and even more often on competition days. What does it mean? Is it possible to practice focusing? If so, what does that look like?

Check…

This week I'd like to discuss the subject of #hashtags. Hashtags are commonly used on Twitter to categorize posts so that others can follow those hashtags and comment, share and otherwise interact. They are incredibly useful! I use them all…

After reading an article recently by Pipes|Drums called "The Drummer's Dilemma" I got to thinking about the issue of lead drummers passing on their skills to younger players. This is a difficult and complex issue but it begins…

I have a confession to make that I've never told anyone: I hate competing solo. There. I said it. When it's just me, a piper and a judge, I get nervous, my memory fails me, my hands turn to stone…

Knowing the point of practicing is the most important piece of information you will ever learn if your goal is to improve your playing. It is incredible to me that ABSOLUTELY NO ONE KNOWS this crucial piece of…

Two decades ago, a peer to peer file sharing program called Napster changed the music business. With the advent of Napster the music you used to have to pay for was, all of a sudden, free for the taking. All…