Superimposing Arpeggios Part 2 - Blues Progressions

Sep 05

Superimposing Arpeggios Part 2 - Blues Progressions

Solo, Chords, Theory, Intermediate, Improvisation, Technique, Guitar, Funk, Blues, Jazz, Rock, Articles Add comments |

An article by: Mike Holt

If you look at my last article, “superimposing arpeggios” you’ll read how it is possible to superimpose a different arpeggio of a chord from the same parent scale over the chord that you are improvising on. In this lesson I am going to take it one step further and combine it with another of my previous articles “Jazz Up Your Blues Progressions”, in which I describe how to add a jazz flavor to your blues progressions by adding different chord substitutions throughout the sequence. I am going to show you by example how to create solo lines over a straight ahead blues chord progression with no substitutions and how to lift the harmonic possibilities out of that minor pentatonic rut that so many people get stuck in.

If you read my article “Jazz Up Your Blues Progressions” first, this will explain the chord substitutions to you that I will be using in this lesson. I have taken the different blues progression from that lesson and used the chord substitutions in various places in each sequence here to create solo lines over the top of a simple I-IV-V blues sequence. To make it easier to learn from, I have recorded the examples at 90bpm and at 140bpm. This will enable those of you who may need it slower to be able to follow it a little easier at first and then speed it up a bit where it sounds a lot better. I have also added backing tracks without the solos at both tempos so you can have a go yourselves. For all those gearheads out there, I played the drums on a Roland TD-20 kit, the organ on a Roland GR-20 synth, guitar and bass through a GT-8 and DI-ed through a Tech 21 amp.

For each example the blues progression is in A. This will make it easier to compare the superimposed chord substitutions. I have labeled above the music the name of the arpeggio that I am using and where it finishes. Everywhere else I have used scales that are more commonly used and straight forward. These being minor pentatonic, blues scale and myxolydian.

Try experimenting with the solos. As well as making up your own lines using the same or similar substitutions, try playing the same solo but in other places on the neck, even at different octaves. You’d be amazed at how much more proficient you will become on the instrument if you don’t rely on shape and pattern memory.

Solo 1: