How to Improvise Over Secondary Dominants

Introduction

In this lesson, we’ll learn how to deal with secondary dominant in an improvisation setting.

We’ll do this by practicing over a series of backing tracks, each based on the same chord progression, but each with a different secondary dominant added.

Secondary dominants are quite common even in popular music, and understanding how to deal with them will give you an increased sense of confidence to handle all of the situations you may encounter as a guitar player.

The “plain vanilla” chord progression

This chord progression cycles through all of the chords in the key of C major using a root motion of perfect fourths.

Because the motion is in fourths, any chord will automatically be a secondary dominant if turned into a dominant 7^th chord. For instance, if the C^maj7 is turned into a dominant 7^th it becomes V/IV, and resolves properly to IV^maj7, as in our next example.

Backing Track 1

V/IV instead of C^maj7

This introduces the note ♭7 into the key (in this case, B♭). So instead of playing the C major scale, you could switch to the C Mixolydian scale for the dominant chord. Or you could just concentrate on changing B into B♭, which may more productive.

Backing Track 2

V/III instead of B^-7♭5

This introduces a D♯ into the key. You could think of that enharmonically as C melodic minor, or just focus on turning the D into D♯. But it's also a good idea to avoid playing an E over the B⁷ chord.

Backing Track 3

V/VI instead of E^-7

This introduces G♯ to the key, which would turn C major into C Ionian ♯5. Ionian ♯5 is also the third mode of the Harmonic minor. So V/VI introduces the harmonic minor scale built on the sixth degree, in this case A harmonic minor. You can imagine that the key is A minor and the V⁷ has arrived so the scale switches to harmonic minor.

Backing Track 4

V/II instead of A^-7

This introduces a C♯ into the key. Because that's the root of the key, you can imagine that the new scale is like a C♯ scale where every note is flat. This is called the super locrian or altered scale, and it is a mode of the melodic minor scale. You can amuse your friends with this story, or just switch the C's in your improvisation to C♯.

Backing Track 5

V/V instead of D^-7

This introduces a ♯4 to the key, which means you can play C Lydian, or just focus on changing any F notes to F♯.

Backing Track 6

Coda

Practice all of these tracks, and also consider improvising in multiple positions. This way, you'll know exactly how to handle secondary dominants when they come your way. Which may be surprisingly often.