Rovner Products has introduced the Deep-V Mouthpiece Collection. The Avatar (pictured) allows players to blow with both authority and sensitivity, freeing them from the struggle to be simply heard in certain settings. It eliminates overblowing and the resulting degradation in the quality of your sound and the precision of your intonation. Available for alto and tenor saxophone, the Avatar’s patented baffle and chamber design changes the paradigm from “cut” and “edge” to “presence,” allowing the full spectrum of sound to move successfully from intention to expression. The Aviva mouthpiece for alto saxophone was engineered with levels of resistance that will meet the needs of both the classical and jazz player. The tip opening and reed strength you choose will help you dial in your sound. The Aviva offers a uniquely large window of playability, allowing you to further fine-tune the brilliance and color of your sound based on how high or how low you place the reed. The Aviva #5 tip opening is ideal for the professional who plays both jazz and classical genres, since this mouthpiece’s characteristics will change just by varying the reed strength.
Renowned performer, arranger/composer, author and University of North Texas educator Mike Steinel’s new book Running the Changes (Hal Leonard) teaches musicians of all levels the essentials of improvising over chord changes, giving a concise and thorough approach that’s easy to comprehend, regardless of instrument or voice. The book includes play-along tracks for use in practice sessions. The tracks cover all major parts in the ensemble, including charts for C, B-flat, E-flat and bass clef instruments, along with lead sheets for vocalists. The tracks are accessed online for download or streaming and include Hal Leonard’s exclusive PLAYBACK+ multi-functional audio player, which gives musicians the ability to slow down the audio without changing pitch, set loop points, change keys and pan left or right. The 144-page book covers melodic paraphrase and quotation; using riffs; basic chord theory; ornamentation; chord tone soloing; scalar/modal soloing; bebop scales; advanced soloing with color tones and altered harmonies; exploring pentatonic and hexatonic scales (triad pairs); history and practice of jazz, and post-bebop era to the present.
Vandoren has introduced a new saxophone accessory to its line-up. The Vandoren Strap Bar separates the cords of the saxophone neckstrap to reduce tension in the neck and chest. This results in increased comfort and allows the saxophonist to breath more freely and easily. Like the Vandoren Harness, the Strap Bar was designed to make saxophone playing more comfortable. For a player who experiences neck issues and may not be ready to move to a harness, the simple design of the Strap Bar offers an excellent alternative. While designed to work with Vandoren straps and harnesses, the Strap Bar can also be used with any wind instrument strap utilizing a thin cord. It’s available in black, red and gold finishes.
