Threaded drone reeds, competition grades and tempos, and using a hygrometer (Dojo U Q&A Session)

This week on Dojo U’s "Strike-In" Q&A, Andrew and Carl tackle students' top-voted questions covering everything from competition tempos and reed setup to drone threading, posture, and grading standards. Here’s what we cover this week: 00:00 – Welcome & intro 00:07 – Threading drone reed seats: the pros, cons, and ongoing debate. Does it change the sound? Is it reversible? And should you do it on vintage or high-end pipes? 07:00 – What actually separates the grades? A practical breakdown of Grade 5 through Professional, including what players should realistically be aiming for at each level 14:40 – Using the Two-Week Tune of the Week process for competition prep: applying the freedom phase approach to building and polishing solo or band repertoire 19:10 – Andrew’s move to St. Andrew’s College: will he continue playing with Inveraray? A look at how yearly “renewals” work and what he shared during the interview process 21:30 – Do bagpipes make people look better in photos and videos? Why posture matters more than you think — and the four key points that change everything 23:58 – What’s a safe tempo for a Grade 4 2/4 march? Live metronome demos using Siege of Delhi, Iron Division, and Prince Charles — plus why groove matters more than raw BPM 33:00 – Decoding judge feedback on tempo: how to turn “too fast” or “too slow” comments into practical adjustments 33:54 – Willie’s Glenfiddich tempo check: Mike’s rule that Grade 4 players probably shouldn’t be playing faster than 58 BPM 33:52 – Adding phase-passing recordings to Dojo-U congratulation posts: logistics, community feedback, and possible improvements 35:12 – Reed selection: when is a reed truly bad, and when is it just a poor match for your setup? Including the “90% rule” for chanter and drone reeds 37:57 – Why trial and error is still the best teacher: how running a band, experimenting with chanters, and buying cheap used gear speeds up learning 39:52 – Reed humidity prep: Andrew’s Ziploc bag and cigar humidification pack method for conditioning reeds before testing 41:30 – Hygrometer accuracy: why Andrew replaced his old hygrometers — and how unreliable readings can quietly sabotage your setup ____ 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 Facebook:   / pipersdojo   Twitter:   / pipersdojo   Instagram:   / pipersdojo   SnapChat: pipersdojo