Books, etc. by Brad Edwards

My Latest Effort

Lip Slur Melodies

The "Tone and Technique" Series

Trombone Craft / Bass Trombone Craft

Simply Singing for Winds

Lip Slurs

Other

Introductory Studies in Tenor and Alto Clef: "Before Blazhevich"

Five American Folk Song Sketches - for horn and trombone

Lip Slur Melodies:

Presented as a companion to the well-known orginal Lip Slurs, this new collection offers up over 130 pages of etudes and duets, all using natural slurs on the trombone!

Here's what people are saying about Lip Slur Melodies

I love playing these because they are beautifully melodic and every note is coming from or going to a natural slur. I think you have really hit the essence of Arnold Jacobs’ teaching. This makes it easy: just blow air and move your lips and slide with the rhythm. Thank you, Brad Edwards !!
Charlie Vernon
Bass Trombone, Chicago Symphony Orchestra
Depaul University

Free sample pages from Lip Slur Melodies

Trombone Craft and Bass Trombone Craft: A Musical Approach to Building Tone and Technique

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We all need to build tone and technique. Why not do it in a more musical way?

The Trombone Craft and Bass Trombone Craft books present a comprehensive approach to building the technical skills needed to play music well.
Here's a quick summary:

Free Sample Pages from the Books

Trombone Craft: Volume One
Trombone Craft: Volume Two
Trombone Craft: Volume Three

Bass Trombone Craft

Here's what people are saying about Trombone Craft and Bass Trombone Craft:

This collection of excellent exercises by Brad Edwards gives new fuel to propel our daily routines. Professor Edwards presents these studies using the same concepts of natural slurs and alternate positions that I use in my own playing. A regular visit to this book will undoubtedly help you to play more evenly and consistently and, when used in the precise way that Edwards suggests, will result in your overall improvement. I highly recommend this book to all students and professionals.
Bravo Professor Edwards!
Joseph Alessi
Principal Trombone, New York Philharmonic
Juilliard School

With Brad Edwards’ new book, “Bass Trombone Craft,” the teacher and player have a method that can take a young bass trombone player from the basic introduction of the valves all the way to true mastery of the instrument. The book introduces and focuses on every aspect of bass trombone playing, all in one volume. It is a welcome and needed addition to bass trombone pedagogical material that should be a staple of every teacher’s curriculum.
Denson Paul Pollard
Bass Trombone, Metropolitan Opera Orchestra
Juilliard School and Mannes School of Music

This book is formatted exactly the way I wish many other books were...a technique, followed by etudes to reinforce that technique. Etudes frequently are in the middle and mid-low register. These registers are frequently neglected in other technique books; this is a great area of focus. The rhythmic "duet" etudes are well thought-out; they provide a rhythmic accompaniment to the main line. I like the page on Sing, Buzz, Play very much. I wish it was in the front of the book! The suggested supplemental exercises from other material is a welcome aid to students and teachers alike.
Dan Satterwhite
Assistant Professor of Trombone
Lynn University Conservatory of Music
Artist-Faculty, Brevard Music Center

I recently received copies of Brad Edwards' new Trombone Craft series. There are a number of things I like about these books. Using both technical and musical settings, he isolates and targets techniques all students must learn. The subsequent etudes are short, efficient vehicles that put the topic into practical use. Good mixed use of keys, meters and rhythms add to the challenge. The books are flexible: you can go straight through the book (best for younger students) or pick and choose to target the needs of the individual student. The appendices provide new fuel for thought useful for all levels of players.
William Stanley
Associate Professor of Trombone, University of Colorado, Boulder
Principal Trombone, Colorado Ballet Orchestra

The Trombone Craft books do exactly what the title says, they work on technique through musical means. Other books sometimes leave out aspects that lead to musical playing. In your books, you talk about playing with musical lines and you remind students to breathe and relax and to regulate the air in an efficient manner. All these things can help students be more musical while at the same time improving their technical prowess.
These books are appropriate for a wide variety of students at a wide variety of levels; younger students as well as professionals. They may not be for a true beginner but everybody else can get a lot out of these. You also reference many other etude books that students should own or check out; that's very helpful, too. Nothing in a vacuum.
It's also a broad-minded approach. I appreciate that a lot. You provide different ways of doing things that demonstrates you know the breadth of the discipline. It's not "my way or the highway." That appeals to me a lot. Great job!
Tom Brantley
Associate Professor of Trombone
Jazz Ensemble Director
University of South Florida
School of Music

With his incredible "trifecta" of trombone methods, Brad Edwards has unlocked the door to systematic and thought out processes to help ALL teachers cultivate successful young trombonists. These books
provide the crucial nucleus of pedagogical necessities, while infusing important concepts from the standard trombone methods at the appropriate times. I truly believe that with constant use of these resources, we may very well see a much needed renaissance of great trombonists sprouting up in our nation's programs. Thank you, Brad!
Anthony Mazzocchi
Professor of Trombone, Montclair State and Kean Universities
Executive Director of the Kinhaven Summer Music School

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Simply Singing for Winds:
A Wellspring of Melodies for Building Tone and Technique

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Available in four ranges..
Medium Bass Clef (trombone, euphonium)
Low Bass Clef (tuba)
Medium Treble Clef (trumpet, clarinet)
Low Treble Clef (horn)

You can never have too many good tunes to play! Simply Singing is nothing more than a big collection of tunes – both folk songs and original melodies. It is 114 pages long and is divided into five sections:

Building a Foundation
30 original “Foundation Pieces,” each in a clearly defined musical
style.

Singing Smoothly
63 legato melodies. Some arranged as duets. Some are sequences of
short melodic ideas. Most melodies are presented in two keys.

Singing with a Bounce
44 melodies in a detached style. Includes sets of short etudes
focusing on a particular rhythmic/metric element

Singing with Style
12 original pieces to strengthen a sense of common musical styles:
4 waltzes, 4 marches and 4 fanfares.

Fiddling Around
16 fiddle tunes adapted for wind instruments. Good for testing
technique!

Free Samples from the Book:

Medium Bass Clef (pdf)

Low Bass Clef (pdf)

Medium Treble Clef (pdf)

Low Treble Clef (pdf)

For now, this book is self-published. Click here to order.

Here's what people are saying about Simply Singing for Winds:

I find myself playing from your Simply Singing book on a daily basis. These exercises cover so many of the basic fundamentals of playing at one time, and with a musical approach. The comprehensive layout makes practicing easier. I recommend this book to all of my colleagues and students.
Larry Zalkind
Principal Trombone, Utah Symphony
Acting Associate Principal Trombonist, Los Angeles Philharmonic

Simply Singing for Tuba is a well-organized, progressive collection of songs and etudes for tuba. Your commentary is helpful, and even the titles of each etude provide a little inspiration. Printing the etudes twice, in different registers, is a great idea. I have always enjoyed spending some time each day on simple, melodic material, and I find your book to be a nice addition to a practice routine.
Craig Knox
Principal Tuba, Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra
Center City Brass Quintet
Artist Lecturer, Carnegie Mellon University
Adjunct Professor, Duquesne University

I've finally spent some time with your new book, another excellent resource for us! I've particularly enjoyed using it for buzzing practice, sitting at the piano (actually, usually my keyboard on an organ setting) playing the chords (simple enough for me to handle!!) while buzzing. The duets have been good to play in lessons--good range and open intervals for intonation work, plus good music. I also find the technical material such as the numerous tonguing etudes and "Fiddling Around" section very useful. As with your "Lip Slurs" book, you offer very useful yet concise playing tips. I'm finding myself using the "Simply Singing" and " Lip Slurs" on a daily basis.
Matt Vaughn
Associate Principal Trombone
Philadelphia Orchestra

This book is a MUST HAVE for any player wanting to build a better sound and for all those advanced and professional players that want to KEEP theirs!
David Fedderly
Principal Tubist, Baltimore Symphony Orchestra
Faculty, Juilliard School of Music

I hear the greatest singers in the world, singing great melodies, every night at the MET. It has transformed me as a musician and made me further realize how important melody is for development as an artist. With Dr Brad Edwards' new book, musicians have a "wellspring" of melodies in one book to use in practice.
Denson Paul Pollard
Bass Trombonist, Metropolitan Opera Orchestra

Simply Singing for Winds by Brad Edwards is a welcome addition to the educational repertoire of any low brass teacher and student. It is made up of short songs and duets that are effective in improving a better sense of pitch, lyricism, and the buzz. Dr. Edwards uses many techniques to make the excercises more useful, such as adding harmonic analyses, alternate transpositions, and tips for maximizing the benefit for the individual songs. The book is very helpful for teachers of younger students, with simple duets and easy melodies. Yet Simply Singing may be even more useful for players looking to polish their already refined playing with excercises designed to help them focus on the basics that we struggle with every day.
George Curran
Bass Trombonist, Atlanta Symphony Orchestra

"Simply Singing" provides musicians with source material to improve all aspects of their musicianship - through the learning, knowing, and perfecting of simple tunes. Dr. Edwards says this is not a method book; he's right, it's way better than that! Simply put, Brad Edwards delivers another "must-have" book in "Simply Singing."
Dr. Michael Davidson
Trombone Professor, The University of Kansas

With his musical approach to technique, Brad Edwards is barking right up my tree!
I find it very valuable and will recommend it highly to my students. Thanks again for your excellent work.
Carl Lenthe
Trombone Professor, Jacobs School of Music
Indiana University

I just opened the envelope with your book and in looking through it am absolutely amazed at what you have compiled. It will be most useful at any number of levels and with any number of techniques. And it will save me an immense amount of time, not having to write out challenging things to buzz, play, sing etc. I can't thank you enough.
Mike Wheeler
Private studio instructor in Northern Virginia and former member United States Air Force Band in Washington, D.C.

Like his previous two books, this present beauty has become a staple in my teaching. Very few books are so expertly crafted, so thoughtfully compiled, and so darn effective!
Bravo and thanks, Brad, for the hard work done on our behalf."
Tom Gibson
Kennesaw State University
Mercer University
TromboneLessons.com

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Lip Slurs:
Progressive Exercises for the Development of
Tone and Technique.

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Lip Slurs is an 84-page comprehensive supplement for any trombone (or euphonium) player wishing to build technique and improve tone quality. The difficulty ranges from basic to virtuoso.
It includes three main sections:
1. Slow Slurs - To build tone, improve range and develop control.
2. Fast Slurs - To build facility throughout the range of the instrument.
3. Lip Slur Melodies - Etudes reminiscent of the Bordogni vocalizes with an interesting twist: all the legato phrases can be played completely with natural lip slurs.

Free samples from the book (re-printed with permission from Ensemble Publications)

Slow Lip Slurs Fast Lip Slurs Lip Slur Melodies
p.16
p.27		 p.38
p.52		 p.65
p.69
p.82

Here's what people are saying about Lip Slurs:

This is the bible of Lip Slurs. If you ever get bored of your routine, simply get a copy of Brad Edwards' Lip Slur Book and these exercises will last you a lifetime. I have always said that it essential to visit lip slurs everyday you pick up the horn. This is the perfect book to keep you going.
Joseph Alessi
Principal Trombone, New York Philharmonic

In his book "Lip Slurs," Brad Edwards has taken an important part of the trombone player's daily routine and added clarity to it. His approach is sensible, the exercises are comprehensive and the result is undeniably positive. Kudos to Brad Edwards for this excellent addition to the trombone repertoire; he has brought the concept of the lip slur forward to the post-modern trombonist who may have mistakenly thought that he already understood the subject well enough.
Douglas Yeo
Bass Trombonist, Boston Symphony Orchestra

I was really impressed by the insight and organization of your Lip Slurs book. With every page I practiced and played, I was amazed at the variety of patterns that you discovered. Not only is your book a perfect challenge for any serious trombonist, it also allows each one of us the opportunity to excel in this vital technical area of trombone playing. Bravo for this first rate etude book. I predict that Lip Slurs will quickly find its way into the personal libraries of trombonists everywhere.
Milton Stevens
Former Principal Trombonist, National Symphony Orchestra

I looked at your lip slurs book and I think it is fantastic! Very well done. Lots of variety, well laid out, good explanations and the etudes are great - very clever. I intend to recommend them to my students.
Matt Vaughn
Associate Principal Trombonist, Philadelphia Orchestra

Lip Slurs is published by Ensemble Publications (available through Hickey's Music).

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Introductory Studies in Tenor and Alto Clef -
"Before Blazhevich:

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This 56-page book uses a mixture of exercises and short etudes to help teach tenor and alto clef quickly and effectively. Using a system of "guidepost notes," students learn a few easily recognizable pitches and then progress smoothly to more challenging material. The first main section of the book focuses on tenor clef (75 exercises); the second on alto clef (36 exercises). Six final etudes use all three clefs.

Special sections are devoted to the skills of reading B-flat treble clef and bass clef transposed as tenor clef down an octave. Unlike other popular methods, these original exercises and etudes avoid rote learning and "playing by ear."

Most of the etudes include pedagogical commentary and also serve as good musical character studies. Melodies sometimes take unexpected turns to keep students on their toes. Can also be used as sight-reading practice for more advanced students. Effective for bassoon and cello as well.

Clef Studies is published by Ensemble Publications (available through Hickey's Music).

Here's what people are saying about Clef Studies..

I plan on making this book my primary method for the teaching of tenor and alto clef. What I like most is Brad's use of a "Guidepost" system that most of my students will understand and remember. Other great aspects of the book are the pacing (it progresses quite nicely), the written commentary, and the use of new unfamiliar melodies. Congratulations on adding a new and relevant book to the resources for trombone.
Keith Jackson
Professor of Low Brass, West Virginia University

Great book, well organized. A very interesting and useful step by step method to learning clefs. Particularly useful is Brad's idea of guidepost notes. Highly recommended!
Don Lucas
Trombone Soloist and professor at Boston University

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Five American Folk Song Sketches

In 2012, I composed five sketches based on American folk songs. The work is written for trombone and horn duet (duration: roughly 14 minutes). For the time being, I am selling this piece myself as a personalized pdf file for $10.

Click here for a free sample.

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