410 - The Dangers of Solo Competing (Dojo Conversations Episode 80)

·28 min·2 clips

Andrew Douglas reveals his only childhood celebrity crush was on Wednesday Addams, not any actress, because he thought she was cool with her knives and electric chairs.

The episode begins with a lighthearted personal anecdote about Andrew's childhood crush on Wednesday Addams from The Addams Family. It then transitions into the main topic: the dangers and benefits of solo bagpipe competing. Andrew, who is registered with Waspaba and plans to solo this year, shares his personal history of stopping due to time constraints after having multiple children. The hosts compare solo competing to gigs like weddings or funerals, noting that solo events offer a rare chance to play for an educated audience who appreciates musical quality. They delve into psychological dangers, such as stress from anticipating negative feedback on score sheets and focusing on accolades or competition grades instead of self-expression. Andrew introduces the 'golden rule' of playing for self-expression, not accolades, and discusses how this is harder in solos than in pipe bands. Practical advice includes having an expert tune your pipes on competition day to reduce stress, especially for beginners. The conversation shifts to judges' perspectives, acknowledging challenges like mental fatigue and underpayment, and suggesting competitors interpret feedback with understanding. Benefits of solo competing are highlighted, including the incentive to refine tunes and the enjoyment of performing for a discerning audience. The episode concludes with a call for listener reviews on platforms like Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

As heard by us

Solo competition feels more sustainable when preparation protects the pleasure of playing the tune.

Solo competition sits at the center of this episode, framed less as a proving ground than as a ritual that can either sharpen playing or drain the joy from it.

Read the full review in PlayNext →

Why you'd press play

You want solo competition to sharpen your playing without turning tuning day into a stress test.

Read the full recommendation in PlayNext →

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