About Jori
About Jori
I’m Jori Chisholm, founder of BagpipeLessons.com. I started this site in 1999 to find new ways to help people learn the bagpipes in a clear and inspiring way. I was the first piper to teach one-on-one video lessons in 2003, long before it was common. My online teaching was featured on the front page of American Profile and the New York Times. Since then, thousands of pipers around the world have used my lessons, tools, and products to play better and enjoy their piping more.
What I Believe
I believe anyone can learn to play a musical instrument — no matter where you live, how old or young you are, or what your musical experience is. Music asks for dedication and focus, but it gives back joy, connection, and confidence. It’s a challenge, a reward, and a series of lifelong lessons.
I believe teaching is a privilege. The teachers and mentors in my life changed my future; I try to honor them by helping pipers reach their goals, communicate in a clear and inspiring way, and offering tools and resources that make learning and playing music fun for a lifetime.
I believe tradition and innovation belong together. That’s why it’s important to cherish the history of piping, while also welcoming tools and technology that can help all pipers improve. Music may not be your whole life, but it can make your life whole.
What I Do
I solve problems, create products, and share what I have learned. I teach privately and through the Inner Circle membership, create step-by-step courses, and publish a steady stream of free lessons, guides, exercises and live sessions on my YouTube channel. I design tools that remove friction for real pipers in the real world—including the Tone Protector, the InTune Mic, and the Endurance Practice Chanter—and I continue to develop new ideas that make setup, tuning, and daily practice simpler.
I founded the world’s first-ever online bagpipe competition, The World Online Piping & Drumming Championships in 2011. Since then, we have welcomed thousands of competitors from over twenty countries on six continents. My products have earned recognition including Product of the Year and Runner-Up Product of the Decade from Pipes|Drums. Everything I build starts with a piper’s real problem and ends with a practical solution.
Competing, Performing & Collaborations
Competition shaped my musicianship. I’ve won the U.S. Gold Medal for Piping four times and many prizes at Scotland’s premier events—the Argyllshire Gathering, Northern Meeting, Cowal Highland Games, and the Braemar Gathering. I performed with the Simon Fraser University Pipe Band, winning the World Pipe Band Championships three times, in concerts at the Sydney Opera House, Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, and New York’s Lincoln Center.
Performance also led me into new musical directions. My album Bagpipe Revolution explores original music and cross-genre collaborations, and I’ve had the joy of performing with world-famous musicians—including the Chieftains and legendary Grateful Dead guitarist Bob Weir. I love discovering how the pipes can speak in new contexts while staying true to their voice.
What I’ve Invented
I create tools to solve real problems so pipers can focus on music.
The Tone Protector Chanter Cap and Tone Protector Reed Case are used by pipers everywhere. Simple, durable, two-way humidity control that keeps reeds stable, tuning steadier, and warm-ups faster in any climate. The InTune Mic turns tuning from guesswork into clarity by capturing a clean, consistent signal—so you can get your pipes in tune every time, quickly and with confidence. The Bagpipe Gauge brings objective feedback to setup and blowing. By making what you feel visible and measurable, it helps you find steadier pressure, diagnose setup issues, and lock in a more reliable sound.
The Endurance Practice Chanter was designed by me and made in Scotland by the world-famous R.G. Hardie & Co.. It adds complete moisture management and comfort to daily practice, so long sessions feel better and your fingering and expression stay fresh. The Piper’s Metronome app is a musical partner—not just a click—tuned to piping realities so timing practice becomes repeatable, musical, and simple anywhere.
The Piper’s Advantage Bagpipe Phone Mount keeps recordings, tuners, and reference materials exactly where you play—secure, stable, and out of the way—so feedback is always within reach. The Foundation Reed is designed for consistency, stability, and musical response, giving players a dependable starting point for a rich, projecting sound. For reed maintenance, the Piper’s Ultimate Reed Poker offers precise, repeatable micro-adjustments to revive a tired reed and fine-tune response without losing what already works.
The Perfect Angle Blowpipe Positioner lets you set and keep the blowpipe where your body wants it, reducing strain on the jaw, neck, and back so long practices and performances feel natural. Custom Pipe Bags help players get the fit and feel that support relaxed, efficient blowing; when the instrument fits, everything gets easier—control, sound, and stamina.
I hold multiple patents for my inventions, and I’m grateful that the piping community has recognized this work with honors including Product of the Year and Runner-Up Product of the Decade from PipesDrums. Every tool begins with a real problem I’ve seen in lessons and on stages—and ends with something you can trust in your hands.
More About Me
Bagpipes are a huge part of my life—but the main focus of my life begins at home with my wife, our two sons, and the rest of my family and friends. I hold a B.A. in Psychology with a focus on learning and music from the University of Puget Sound, where I was elected Phi Beta Kappa.
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