Watch the Super Dom Blues 2 online guitar lesson by Chris Buono from Juiced Blues

** Take note: Overall Super Dom Blues is based on a simple I-IV-V in G consisting of dominant 7th leanings for each of the three chords. I say "leanings" because as you'll see in the comping lesson that follows (Super Dom 3) there's going to not only be dom7 chords coming at you, but also extended dominant chords and stacked fourth voicings as well. It's all part of the juicing process, my friends. This freedom of interpretation is something you should be aware of and should begin to feel free to use. With that cleared up, let's get into the secret behind the sauce, shall we?

As said in the previous segment, superimposing consists of playing a secondary element over a primary element. In this instance, secondary melodic ideas in the form of superimposed m7b5 arpeggios and a single pentatonic scale are played over the primary harmonic movement as dictated by the bass line (speaking of, going right along with the idea of freely interpreting the vibe as dominant; in regards to what's going on in the background--i.e., the practice rhythm track--that concept applies here as well). Now, a m7b5 arpeggio is made up of the following formula: 1, b3, b5, b7. But when played over the I and IV chords, the notes within the arps change to this formula: 3, 5, b7, 9. So the superimposition is derived from playing a m7b5 arpeggio a major 3rd above the chord's root, or put simply, from the 3rd. Let's examine one instance closely to make sure you got the gist. Over G7 whose 3rd is B, a Bm7b5 would be employed, which is made up of B, D, F, and A. Considering G as the root, the notes in that Bm7b5 arpeggio are as follows: B is the 3rd, D is the 5th, F is the b7, and A is the 9th. That, ladies and gents is the gig.

While the same concept is used over the C7 (IV) with the Em7b5 serving as the arpeggio built on the 3rd of the chord, the A minor pentatonic scale played over the D7 (V) superimposition works out as follows. Against the D root the notes are: A (5th), C (b7), D (root), E (9th), and G (11th). Keep in mind that 11th shouldn't be a note you resolve on as that will directly clash with the powerfully present tritone interval between the 3rd and b7th. It works within a line for sure, but just make sure you fly on by and land on anything but.

** Take note: all the arpeggio and scale "visions" I'm utilizing in every solo will be found below the solo transcription both in the PDF and Power Tab charts that are included within all five Part 2 segments. And, when I say "all", I mean ALL--you'll find not only the ones used in the solo (marked with an *) but all the available options starting from the bottom of the neck so you can begin to take these ideas and play them throughout the fretboard. To be consistent, every vision will begin from the lowest position on the neck that does not include open strings so you can see every movable option. This approach provides you with a complete "conveyor belt" vision that can be moved accordingly to work with any key.

Overall this approach gives you a fresh sound to work with and let's be honest--that's something we all need when blowing over a 12-bar as we tend to go right for the pentatonic gold all too often. That said, the approach here as well as any other presented here in Juiced Blues is by no means "better" than another. Those tried-and-true minor blues licks are still with us for a reason--they're AWESOME. By all means, keep them in your lick bag and enjoy the fact of having something you've been craving for--options!

A few other things to note as you play your way through your first set of juiced ideas are the way the arpeggios are fingered and positioned and the picking techniques that were used to make them more playable. The arpeggios are intentionally fingered so they start on the 5th string with two notes and then proceed to follow a one-note-per-string/two-note-per-string pattern on the ascending adjacent strings. This is an approach that I found a few guys abide by including the incredible Tim Miller whom I had the pleasure to work alongside while teaching at Berklee. This fingering scheme will allow you to play the arps more easily and efficiently with techniques such as sweep picking and hybrid picking mixed with common legato moves. If your what-did-he-just-say meter just blew a gasket--hold on--sweep picking is not just for Yngwie and the like. It's an extremely economical picking technique that can be used to play some very slick lines without sounding like a print out--just check out Frank Gambale for starters. The positioning of the arps are meant to be as vertical as can be. The idea is to station the arps in the same relative area so you can better flow through them when playing over the changes as if you were playing a single melodic device, e.g. the good 'ol minor pentatonic scale. Finally, watch for the hybrid picking technique--simultaneous use of the pick and remaining pick hand fingers--that I drop at will to more easily play the arps as well as inject some snap into the licks. If you find yourself enamored by the spank that hybrid picking brings to the phrasing table, be sure to check out my flagship TrueFire course Funk Fission. That and many more ultra-fonky phrasing ideas are waiting to be wrestled. Speaking of phrasing -

Check out how some of the bends that rise in pitch are never released like the one that kicks off the solo or how wide intervals are used to break up arpeggios so they don't sound so pattern-like. In regards to the former, make sure you seek out Wayne Krantz for phrasing with bends. You can get the full picture from one fleeting moment in a tune called "Whipper Snapper" from the cult-classic Two Drink Minimum CD. At 2:49 Wayne enters the solo section with a bwhaa that just kills. With that on the table, there's a major lesson to be learned here: Phrasing is everything and when the mojo is there, sometimes one note can say it all.

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