BLOG | ed-brown-composer

Working In Music During A Pandemic

In this blog, I'd like to talk about the difficulties of maintaining a music-based business in these unprecedented times.

Grading Exams, Are They Worth It?

I often get asked 'are grades worth doing?'. As a teacher who encourages enjoyment in learning an instrument, here's my honest opinion.

The Most Important Christmas Gig

Christmas gigs were made difficult, even impossible, this year but the all-important Christmas Day gig for the family still remained.

Luck Of The Reed Box

Opening a new box of reeds, you'll find one you favour and another you think is awful, despite being from the same box. Why is that?

Alternate Fingerings

On clarinet or saxophone, alternate fingerings, when used, will improve your speed and smooth transition between notes.

A Good Practice Schedule

Over the years, I've come across many sources specifying ways to practice but just how often should we be practicing?

When Not To Practice

As musicians, we're always told 'practice makes perfect' and to keep to a regular routine but it's also good to know when not to practice.

My Writing Style Through The Years

I decided to look through my compositions to discover what patterns are in my writing style and whether these have developed over time.

Getting Over Stage Fright

If you're a musician who struggles with performance anxiety, here are a few things you can do to help boost your confidence to perform.

The Quickest Way (I've Found) To Learn New Music

Here's a method I've discovered that helps keep the excitement in learning a new song and gets rid of that daunting feeling.

{"items":["60015b48ca19d300349a4efe","5ff840dede0cd80017277862","5fe31ed2012e3a0017ab3a1c","5fdca12a2154b60017f805c9","5fd098f779029c001758156b","5fc8b928002c45001853d75d","5fc0d3ef19671b001793ab22","5fb7a7d43eb564001776f1fe","5fae4c35a3be6f0017220b0c","5fa3f25c8633b40017b6fd09"],"styles":{"galleryType":"Columns","groupSize":1,"showArrows":true,"cubeImages":true,"cubeType":"max","cubeRatio":1.7777777777777777,"isVertical":true,"gallerySize":30,"collageAmount":0,"collageDensity":0,"groupTypes":"1","oneRow":false,"imageMargin":32,"galleryMargin":0,"scatter":0,"chooseBestGroup":true,"smartCrop":false,"hasThumbnails":false,"enableScroll":true,"isGrid":true,"isSlider":false,"isColumns":false,"isSlideshow":false,"cropOnlyFill":false,"fixedColumns":0,"enableInfiniteScroll":true,"isRTL":false,"minItemSize":50,"rotatingGroupTypes":"","rotatingCropRatios":"","columnWidths":"","gallerySliderImageRatio":1.7777777777777777,"numberOfImagesPerRow":3,"numberOfImagesPerCol":1,"groupsPerStrip":0,"borderRadius":0,"boxShadow":0,"gridStyle":0,"mobilePanorama":false,"placeGroupsLtr":false,"viewMode":"preview","thumbnailSpacings":4,"galleryThumbnailsAlignment":"bottom","isMasonry":false,"isAutoSlideshow":false,"slideshowLoop":false,"autoSlideshowInterval":4,"bottomInfoHeight":0,"titlePlacement":"SHOW_BELOW","galleryTextAlign":"center","scrollSnap":false,"itemClick":"nothing","fullscreen":true,"videoPlay":"hover","scrollAnimation":"NO_EFFECT","slideAnimation":"SCROLL","scrollDirection":0,"scrollDuration":400,"overlayAnimation":"FADE_IN","arrowsPosition":0,"arrowsSize":23,"watermarkOpacity":40,"watermarkSize":40,"useWatermark":true,"watermarkDock":{"top":"auto","left":"auto","right":0,"bottom":0,"transform":"translate3d(0,0,0)"},"loadMoreAmount":"all","defaultShowInfoExpand":1,"allowLinkExpand":true,"expandInfoPosition":0,"allowFullscreenExpand":true,"fullscreenLoop":false,"galleryAlignExpand":"left","addToCartBorderWidth":1,"addToCartButtonText":"","slideshowInfoSize":200,"playButtonForAutoSlideShow":false,"allowSlideshowCounter":false,"hoveringBehaviour":"NEVER_SHOW","thumbnailSize":120,"magicLayoutSeed":1,"imageHoverAnimation":"NO_EFFECT","imagePlacementAnimation":"NO_EFFECT","calculateTextBoxWidthMode":"PERCENT","textBoxHeight":197,"textBoxWidth":200,"textBoxWidthPercent":50,"textImageSpace":10,"textBoxBorderRadius":0,"textBoxBorderWidth":0,"loadMoreButtonText":"","loadMoreButtonBorderWidth":1,"loadMoreButtonBorderRadius":0,"imageInfoType":"ATTACHED_BACKGROUND","itemBorderWidth":0,"itemBorderRadius":0,"itemEnableShadow":false,"itemShadowBlur":20,"itemShadowDirection":135,"itemShadowSize":10,"imageLoadingMode":"BLUR","expandAnimation":"NO_EFFECT","imageQuality":90,"usmToggle":false,"usm_a":0,"usm_r":0,"usm_t":0,"videoSound":false,"videoSpeed":"1","videoLoop":true,"gallerySizeType":"px","gallerySizePx":1000,"allowTitle":true,"allowContextMenu":true,"textsHorizontalPadding":-30,"itemBorderColor":{"themeName":"color_12","value":"rgba(207,207,207,1)"},"showVideoPlayButton":true,"galleryLayout":2,"calculateTextBoxHeightMode":"MANUAL","textsVerticalPadding":-15,"targetItemSize":1000,"selectedLayout":"2|bottom|1|max|true|0|true","layoutsVersion":2,"selectedLayoutV2":2,"isSlideshowFont":true,"externalInfoHeight":197,"externalInfoWidth":0},"container":{"width":681,"galleryWidth":713,"galleryHeight":0,"scrollBase":0,"height":null}}

2 3 4

Edward Brown

Musician, teacher & composer