Practice Under Pressure, Perform Better Under Pressure
One thing I've noticed over the years is that we spend a lot of time preparing pipers for what they're going to play in a competition, but sometimes not enough time preparing them for what it's going to feel like to play it in a competition.
Competition creates pressure.
You're standing in the circle. The judges are watching. The Pipe Major is listening. Your bandmates are relying on you. You know that one mistake can affect the entire performance.
Your nerves are up, your heart rate is different, and sometimes even your blowing changes.
You can't completely recreate that feeling at a Tuesday night band practice.
But I believe you should try.
The Best Bands I've Been Around Put Their Players Under Pressure
Some of the best bands I've ever been around had something in common:
They regularly put their players under pressure at practice.
Not in a cruel or demeaning way. The purpose wasn't to embarrass someone or make them afraid to come to practice.
It was about making players accustomed to being watched, listened to, and expected to perform when they felt uncomfortable.
I've been in bands where, during a practice, it was made very obvious that individual players in the circle were being watched closely.
And yes, that can make you uncomfortable.
You suddenly become very aware of your fingers. You know someone is listening to your blowing.
You start wondering whether you're going to make the mistake you've been worried about.
But something happens when you experience that regularly.
You get better at performing while you're uncomfortable.
We've Become More Careful With Players—and That's Not Necessarily a Bad Thing
Band culture has changed over the years.
We've understandably tried to become more supportive and considerate of players. I think there's a lot of good in that. Nobody needs to be humiliated at band practice, and creating an environment where people are afraid to make mistakes isn't productive.
But I also think we need to be careful that we don't remove all pressure from practice.
There is a difference between creating unnecessary stress and creating productive performance pressure.
If every practice is completely comfortable, and the only time a player experiences real pressure is when they step into a competition circle, we haven't fully prepared that player for competition.
I believe every member of a competitive band should experience periods of pressure during practice every week.
The more often you practice performing under pressure, the more familiar that feeling becomes.
And the more familiar it becomes, the less power it has over you.
Put the Difficult Part Under a Microscope
Here's a simple example.
Let's say there's a particular part of a tune that everyone knows has been causing problems.
Rather than simply running the entire tune again and hoping it improves, go around the circle and have each piper play that section individually.
Everyone is listening.
Everyone knows where the problem is.
There's nowhere to hide inside the sound of the band.
Is that uncomfortable?
Absolutely.
But that's part of the exercise.
If a player struggles with that section when it's their turn, chances are they're going to go home and work on it. The next week, they don't want to be the person who can't play that part when everyone is listening.
That isn't about embarrassing the player.
It's creating accountability and motivation.
And when they come back the following week and play it correctly under the same pressure, they've accomplished more than simply fixing a passage of music.
They've practiced performing while people are listening.
Play One-on-One With the Pipe Major
Another exercise I think is extremely valuable is having pipers play individually with the Pipe Major.
This can reveal things you might never hear when the entire band is playing.
One of the biggest is blowing pressure.
Some players who are perfectly steady when they're comfortable will change their blowing pressure when they become nervous. Put them one-on-one with the Pipe Major, knowing they're being closely listened to, and suddenly they may overblow, underblow, rush, tighten up, or play differently than they normally do.
That's useful information.
Because what do we think might happen when that same player walks into a competition circle?
If pressure changes the way you play or blow, you need opportunities to discover that before competition day.
Pressure Is Something You Can Practice
We tend to think of nerves as something a player either handles well or doesn't.
I don't believe it has to be that way.
Performing under pressure is a skill, and like most skills, it can be practiced.
Have players perform individually.
Have the Pipe Major stand in front of someone and deliberately listen to them.
Pick out difficult passages and go around the circle.
Have players play one-on-one with the Pipe Major.
Create moments during practice where everybody knows they're being listened to.
Then make those moments a normal part of band practice—not something that only happens when somebody is in trouble.
That's important.
If being asked to play individually always means you've done something wrong, players will naturally associate it with punishment. If everybody does it regularly, it simply becomes part of how the band prepares.
Make Being Watched Feel Normal
Ultimately, that's the goal.
When you walk into the competition circle, you are being watched.
You are being judged.
There are expectations.
And you're going to feel pressure.
So why should that be a completely different experience from practice?
A good band practice should certainly include teaching, encouragement, teamwork, and an environment where players can improve.
But if you're preparing people to compete, I believe it should also occasionally make them uncomfortable.
Give players opportunities to feel nervous and still control their fingers.
Give them opportunities to feel watched and still play musically.
Give them opportunities to feel pressure and still maintain steady blowing.
Because when competition day arrives, the goal isn't to somehow eliminate the pressure.
The goal is to have experienced it often enough that you know how to perform through it.
The more you practice under pressure, the better you'll perform under pressure.
Melvin Reeds
Great Sound Starts with a Great Reed
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