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Invitation in B
Invitation in B: Bronisław Kaper's mysterious minor standard carries an unsettling harmonic pull. Dorian governs the stable stretches while Lydian Dominant and Altered scales navigate the chromatic dominant motion. Chords: Bm7 – E7 – A7 – Dm7 – G7 – C7#11 – Cm7 – F7 – F7alt – A#m7 – D#7 – D#7alt – G#m7 – C#7 – C#7alt – F#m7 – D7#11 – C#7b9 – F#7alt – A#7#11 – Em7b5 – A7#9 – DmMaj7.
Key of B
B major mixes barre and open elements. The B chord itself is a barre at fret 2, but E and A are comfortable open chords forming the IV and V. The open B string rings as the root, allowing creative drone-based arrangements. B is a intermediate-level key on guitar because the open B string rings as the root and the open E strings provide the 4th — useful for sus4 voicings and drone effects. This key mixes open and barre shapes, making it a good intermediate challenge that builds fretboard fluency.
Voice Leading
The bass line moves through B to E (ascending perfect fourth), E to A (ascending perfect fourth), A to D (ascending perfect fourth), D to G (ascending perfect fourth), G to C (ascending perfect fourth), C to C (ascending unison), C to F (ascending perfect fourth), F to F (ascending unison), F to A# (ascending perfect fourth), A# to D# (ascending perfect fourth), D# to D# (ascending unison), D# to G# (ascending perfect fourth), G# to C# (ascending perfect fourth), C# to C# (ascending unison), C# to F# (ascending perfect fourth), F# to D (descending major third), D to C# (descending half step), C# to F# (ascending perfect fourth), F# to A# (ascending major third), A# to E (ascending tritone), E to A (ascending perfect fourth), A to D (ascending perfect fourth). A half-step bass movement creates a strong leading-tone pull that demands resolution. The root motion by larger intervals (fourths and fifths) gives each chord change a strong, decisive character. When the progression loops, the bass returns from D to B by minor third.
Scales for Improvisation
B major pentatonic works because every note is either a chord tone or a safe passing tone — there are no avoid notes. For soloing, this means you can play freely without clashing. Over dominant seventh chords, B Mixolydian adds the flat seventh for an authentic blues-rock edge.