393 - How To Construct a Winning Medley (Dojo Conversations Episode 63)

03/04/24 • 39 min

Pipe band medley sets are the perfect chance to showcase your band's musical range and creativity. But why do some medleys sound more musical than others? Should you use harmonies in every tune, or is less more? Plus, what do judges actually listen for... and is that more important that putting together a creative set that an audience enjoys and players love to play?

This week, Andrew and Jim delve into what decisions and strategies you might want to consider when constructing a medley for your band, looking at how to balance the judge's expectation, the audience's enjoyment, and the performer's preference for tunes. They discuss the importance of tune selection, changes, harmonies, and how music theory ties in, and the practicalities of introducing and changing tunes mid-season...

Got a question for a future episode? Leave a comment or email [email protected]!

This week we cover:
00:00 Introduction
00:45 Medley Construction
01:01 The Art of Building Medleys
02:11 The Role of Key Changes in Medleys
03:05 The Strategy of Starting a Medley
04:03 Balancing Judge, Audience, and Personal Preferences
11:49 The Role of Harmonies
14:06 The Impact of Tune Selection on Performance
17:20 The Secret Ingredient: Nostalgia
19:22 The Importance of Timing
19:43 The Challenge of Changing Tunes
20:10 The Value of Testing and Refining
20:49 The Influence of Popular Culture
21:02 The Art of Recycling Old Medleys
21:47 The Balance Between Creativity and Audience Expectations
22:12 Get Professional Help
22:34 The Importance of Mentorship
23:41 The Creative Process in Music
30:07 The Evolution of Harmonies
31:42 The Impact of Music Theory on Medleys
35:50 The Importance of Enjoyment
37:45 The Role of Tempo

Got a question for a future episode? Leave a comment or email [email protected]!

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Rescue Your Bagpipe Sound May 31 - June 2, 2024 in Troy, New York at our Tuning Clinic! You don't have to be "that person" who loves bagpipes but can't figure out how to make them sound good. Make May 31st the last day you ever worry about tuning your pipes by joining us at the world's only tuning-centric bagpipe workshop.

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394 - Listener Q&A: Tiny Pipers, Moving Tunes Onto Pipes, and Finding A Kiwi Tutor (Dojo Conversations Ep 64)

This week, we're diving into the mailbag to answer your submitted questions!

First up, we talk through how to help a young piper's transition to pipes, and how to adapt the instrument for small pipers.

Next - transitioning tunes from the practice chanter to the bagpipes, and the challenge of mastering 'Scotland the Brave'.

And finally - a letter from a New Zealand listener outlines their journey and challenges in learning bagpipes, expressing a desire for more tailored feedback and the obstacles posed by time zone differences for live classes.

Got a question for a future episode? Send it to us at [email protected] or leave a comment wherever you're listening to this podcast!

This week's highlights:
00:00 Introduction and Appreciation for Listener Engagement
00:49 Mailbag Segment Introduction
01:44 First Mailbag Question: Helping Young Pipers
04:49 Second Mailbag Question: Progressing a Tune
05:52 Deep Dive into the Art of Bagpiping
12:04 The Journey of Learning Bagpipes
20:36 Discussing the Difficulty of Common Tunes
21:05 Appreciation for Listener Questions
21:46 Reading Listener Mail
22:36 Analyzing Listener's Piping Journey
27:49 Addressing Listener's Desire for Critique
28:23 Challenges of Learning Piping in New Zealand
30:00 Final Thoughts and Encouragement