Song Rig

Super Session (Blues)

Mike Bloomfield · Super Session · 1968

Tone Overview

What Makes This Sound Unique

The Super Session album with Al Kooper captures Bloomfield at peak confidence — his Les Paul tone through a Marshall-influenced setup is warmer and more confident than the earlier Butterfield recordings. The 1968 tone shows the evolution from pure Chicago blues toward a psychedelic blues-rock synthesis.

Signal Chain

1Gibson Les Paul Standard
2Marshall or Fender (Bloomfield used both by 1968)
3Boss-style compression (light)

Amp Settings

Gain / Volume6

Bass7

Mid7

Treble7

Presence6

Slightly heavier than the Butterfield Blues Band recordings — by 1968 Bloomfield had absorbed the British blues-rock influence and his tone moved toward a warmer, more sustained Marshall sound.

Technique

How to Play It

Extended blues improvisation over classic forms — Super Session showcases Bloomfield improvising at length over 12-bar blues forms, demonstrating his encyclopedic knowledge of blues licks and his ability to build long, narratively coherent solos.

Budget Alternative

Achievable With

Les Paul → Marshall JCM800 or Fender at medium-high gain → practice 12-bar blues improvisation in E and A at slow tempos, focusing on building 4–8 bar narrative phrases that have a beginning, middle, and resolution.

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