The Future of Pipe Bands if We Don’t Evolve

By Joe Brady, Wake and District Pipe Band

When we published The Weight of Growth: Where Do We Go From Here, the response was incredible. Dozens of players, leaders, and lifelong contributors to the pipe band world added thoughtful perspectives about what’s happening — and what might come next.

One theme that rose quickly to the surface was the idea of capping numbers — setting limits on how many pipers, snares, and tenors can take the line in competition.

It’s an idea that sparks passion. Some see it as a way to level the playing field, remove stress, and encourage stronger, more balanced music. Others see it as unnecessary — or even harmful — to the creative and community-driven side of the art. The truth, as usual, is somewhere in the middle.

What We’re Hearing from the Field

Many leaders commented that culture still matters most. Bands that thrive do so because of shared purpose and accountability — not headcount. “Every member can be a leader,” one piper wrote, “by action or by words.” That kind of culture — belonging to something bigger than you — is what drives players to stay, improve, and give their best.

But others pointed out that numbers do matter, especially at the highest levels. The constant pressure to recruit, balance sections, and fill ranks adds stress to leadership and can distort focus. When 18 pipers are up against 11, that difference isn’t just visual — it’s tonal. As one commenter put it: “No sports team would ever agree to play 11 against 19.”

Ideas Worth Considering

A few solutions surfaced in the conversation:

• Hybrid competition formats: What if contests offered both capped and open events? Imagine an MSR and Medley where all bands follow fixed limits — say, 12 pipers, 4 snares, and 3 tenors — but an Open Medley where there are no restrictions. This would give every band an equal shot at a balanced score while still allowing freedom for full-ensemble performance.

• Global consistency, not regional rules: For any cap or format change to truly matter, it can’t be regional. The EUSPBA, MWPBA, and RSPBA — and every major governing body — would need to align. Otherwise, one area’s “fairness fix” becomes another’s disadvantage. This is a global art form; fairness has to span the globe.

• Reward development, not just restriction: Instead of only limiting numbers, organizations could reward bands for mentoring smaller programs. Encourage partnerships, joint rehearsals, teaching initiatives, or “band families” where bigger organizations help lift others up. Growth is healthy when it’s shared.

• Leadership renewal: More than any rule, the success of our culture depends on leadership — people willing to step up, sacrifice time, and carry the weight of tradition while still building something new. Developing, mentoring, and supporting those leaders should be as much a priority as changing any rulebook.

The Human Side of Capping

The challenge with any number cap is what happens to the people who don’t make the cut.

If a Grade 1 band can only field twelve pipers, what about the thirteenth? Does that player move down to a lower grade? Take a break? Quit altogether? The inverse is also true — in smaller bands, will less experienced players be pushed to play up before they’re ready just to fill numbers?

Pipe band is a team sport, but it’s also deeply personal. Behind every number on the score sheet is someone who drives hours to rehearsal, tunes in a quiet corner, and gives their best. If we lose sight of that, no rule will save us.

For and Against — and What Might Work

There’s no doubt a cap could reduce pressure on leadership and make competition feel fairer. It might also help smaller bands compete more evenly and inspire the creation of new ones. But capping alone won’t fix culture. The real solution lies in balance:

• Rules that ensure fairness.

• Values that protect community.

• Leadership that keeps both in focus.

Maybe the answer isn’t just how many play in the circle — but why we’re there in the first place.

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A Purpose Worth Protecting

Pipe bands exist to make music together. To honor traditions. To represent something larger than ourselves. We can talk about caps, categories, and global standards — and we should — but those conversations only matter if we remember the purpose behind them.

We play for something. For one another. For our teachers. For those who came before us. For the fallen. If we can keep that sense of purpose at the center of every discussion, then no matter how the rules evolve, this art form will continue to thrive — because it will always have heart.

For Our Fallen is motto. For our Future is our purpose.