im trying to find out how to play pedal tones. does it have to do with the slides

It has to do with alternate fingerings and with lipping the note into tune. I rarely use my slides except for the tuning slide, and that at initial tuning with the ensemble and about midpoint with the ensem again.

Lipping the pedal tones into tune is one of the best exercises you can do to improve your overall tone and increase your intonation and upper register range. I cannot recommend them enough, and I've been doin' em since 1964.

Bo cool!~

Oh, and by the way, keep your chops loose and be ready to alter the position of your lower jaw as you play down. You gotta stay loose down there.

I play a pedal tone starting on a F in the bottom of the staff...then i go to a low C, then i got to a low A. The actual not or pedal tone is a F.

Keep your lips a little loose, but you will never get the note if you relax too much...Use a decent amount of air for all of the notes. If you do adjust your jaw, only mainly move your bottom jaw slightly forward. Do not drop your jaw too much!! you will never get it...Using good air, support, and lip, you will get it. After a while you will get the note...It took me over a week to actually get a note that sounded right...but remember that the trumpet isnt meant to hit a note like that...you have to be smart about it.

Hope this helps...It helped me