How to Solo on Invitation

[@LorinCohenBassist]

Great info Steve!

[@SaxophoneSteveKortyka]

Thanks cat! Long time no talk hope all is good!

[@angusramsay6485]

Beautiful solo. I could listen to that all afternoon. 😊

[@SaxophoneSteveKortyka]

Aye thanks Angus!

[@beckyn9338]

Hi Steve…. Great stuff. I am one of those classical players who can read well, but improv scares the crap out of me. I have a regular classical gig and my season ends on Memorial Day. I might join you for the summer and see how it goes. Honestly, I’m scared. What if I don’t catch on? I have been trying to be better at improv for a very long time. Although, I have made a tiny bit of progress lately, (partially thanks to you on YT) so I am feeling hopeful. I love these techniques you talk about here. Thank for this.

[@SaxophoneSteveKortyka]

Hey Becky! This is a notable concern and something that you are not alone on, absolutely! I think with improvisation it is not whether you catch on but rather if you have the patience and grace with yourself to allow your brain enough time to internalize music theory. My process is pretty simple overall - it is centered around teaching the important sounds of the tradition and then giving students the space to memorize them and experiment with them in a fun and non threatening way. Whenever I look back and see how far I come I always arrive at the same conclusion: It is a very challenging but rewarding art form. The amount of skills improvisation teaches extends beyond music and will last a lifetime :)

[@beckyn9338]

@@SaxophoneSteveKortyka I know what you say is true. What I have learned in music has translated to my career and helped me have much success. And I expect it will continue to do so. I appreciate the dialogue. Invitation is an intimidating song to me. Maybe I’ll wait for a new focus song. 😂

[@SaxophoneSteveKortyka]

@@beckyn9338 💯! When you sign up you can choose which one you want to focus on but in general most people are encouraged to focus on the current month. No pressure at all but of course it would be great to have you involved :) Next month is definitely going to be a less challenging one :)

[@Notamusicianfr]

Thank you for the wisdom.

[@SaxophoneSteveKortyka]

Any time!

[@carlosprediger1922]

Sounds awesome . Thanks !

[@SaxophoneSteveKortyka]

Thankyou - my pleasure!

[@parkerpolen]

Killer video, Steve! Thanks for sharing. I’m interested in your thoughts about the V7b9/V. Usually V/V is 7#11, but there are already a lot of 7#11s in this progression. Is V7b9 the chosen chord because of the melody? How do you feel that a 7b9 functions as a V/V?

[@SaxophoneSteveKortyka]

Thanks Parker! Not much thought happening I was just taking the changes from the copyrighted version that I found in the New Real Book. I don’t think this b9 treatment is super uncommon though, especially in minor keys. I would either think of it as a b9b13 or a nat13b9#11 to utilize the fully diminished sound there. I think in the improv at the end of the video though I was playing over it like a half diminished chord 😁

[@parkerpolen]

@SaxophoneSteveKortyka very interesting, Steve. I would not expect an upper structure half diminished sound for a dominant chord in minor, but hey, this is where I have the opportunity to pick up on something new! I appreciate you mentioning that!

[@SaxophoneSteveKortyka]

@parkerpolen I think it’s more carelessness on my end than anything haha. Because I’ve spent years learning to play -ii Vs it didn’t bother my ears too much to play the half diminished instead of the Vb9 there

[@inflatedear7131]

Great lesson! What setup are you using? Great sound.

[@SaxophoneSteveKortyka]

Thankyou! A Boston sax E series with a 2.5 reed. I just try to find the reeds that sizzle - been trying a lot of stuff lately.