Is there a better way to score pipe band competitions?  

This week, Andrew and Jim look at an unlikely comparison for inspiration: gymnastics. From artistic vs. objective elements, to the challenge of ranking large fields fairly, to the ever-present issue of bias, the guys explore what the world of sports can teach us about how pipe bands are judged. What makes a fair system? Should pipe bands stick to ordinal rankings? Would point-based scoring bring more consistency? And how do we balance tradition with the need for innovation?  

Got a topic you’d like us to cover in a future episode? Leave a comment or email us: support@pipersdojo.com  

Here’s what we cover this week:

• 00:00 – Andrew’s secret gymnastics passion revealed


• 01:32 – Jim’s school days and flexibility struggles


• 03:00 – Comparing movement and body types


• 04:50 – The basics of gymnastics events and routines


• 06:00 – Artistic vs. objective elements in gymnastics


• 07:15 – How gymnastics is scored: D and E panels explained


• 10:00 – The challenge of making subjective performances objective


• 12:00 – Pipe band scoring vs. gymnastics scoring


• 14:00 – Why not just rank gymnasts? The case for point-based systems


• 16:00 – The problem with ordinal ranking in pipe bands


• 18:00 – Handling ties, large fields, and the importance of standardization


• 20:00 – The “big three” for judging bagpipe performances: sound, technique, musicality


• 23:00 – The complexity of creating a fair, repeatable rubric


• 25:00 – Bias, recency, and the human side of judging


• 28:00 – The need for more judges and the realities of competition logistics


• 31:00 – The importance of strong, sustainable institutions


• 34:00 – Innovation vs. tradition in competition systems


• 36:00 – Final thoughts