Documente Academic
Documente Profesional
Documente Cultură
The 12 bar blues is a 12 bar long chord progression that solo blues musicians can easily improvise over the top of
because the chord progression is familiar to them. This chord progression is based around the most important chords
in a key I, IV & V (1, 4 & 5) and is repeated over and over for the duration of the piece. It is usually in 4/4 (4 crotchet
beats per bar) and uses 1 chord per bar with 12 bars in total - thus the 12 bar blues.
The 12 bar blues progression is as follows:
I I I I
IV IV I I
V IV I V
It is very common in blues music to add 7ths to the major chords giving that classic blues sound. These are
constructed of a major triad (as in the table below) and then adding a minor 7th on the top (10 semitones above the
root forming dominant 7th chords). For example in C Major this would be:
Chord I
Chord IV
Chord V
C
F
G
E
A
B
G
C
D
Bb
Eb
F
4
&4 V V V V
&4 C
V (chord
V I) V V
4
&4 V V V V
V V V
V V
V V V
V V V V
V V
V V V V
C
V (chord
V I)
C
V (chord
V I)
Try playing the 12 bar blues progression in C with just the major triads:
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
& V
& V
& V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
&
&
&
F (chord IV)
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
F (chord IV)
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
C(chord I)
V V V
V
V V V
C
V (chord
V I)
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
C (chord I)
& V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V
& V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V
& V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V
Now 4
try playing it in the same key, but with the 7th chords so that you can hear the difference:
& 4 V7 V 7V V V 7 V 7V V V7 V 7V V V7 V 7V V
&4 C
V (chord
V I )V V C
V (chord
V I )V V C
V (chord
V I )V V C
V (chord
V I )V V
4
&4 V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V
G (chord V)
F7 (chord IV7)
& V
& V
& V
V
V
V
V
V
V
G7(chord V7)
MUSIC
V
V
V
www.dsmusic.com
F (chord IV)
F7 (chord IV7)
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
F7 (chord IV7)
V
V
V
C (chord I)
C7 (chord I7)
C7 (chord I7)
V
V
V
Page 1
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
G (chord V)
C7 (chord I7)
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
G7(chord V7)
V
V
V
In blues music you will hear a lot of syncopation (off beat) and swing rhythms. With swing rhythms you will have even
note values (for example a group of quavers). You elongate the first note and then slightly accent the second (almost
like a dotted rhythm, but not quite as strict or straight). It is like you are playing triplets (squeezing 3 beats in to the
time of 2) i.e. qaa z=[qp ]e
You will see the marking for swing (sometimes along with the triplet equation), swing
8ths, or swung or similar instructions at the start of the piece to indicate this. A traditional way to accompany a 12
bar blues is to use these swing rhythms (in this case swing 8ths) with alternating intervals of 5ths to 6ths which is
called a shuffle.
&
11
&
4
& 4 &
C (chord I)
4
4
531 7
3 3
5
3
7
3
&
C (chord I)
C (chord I)
21
5
3
5
3
7
3
7
3
5
3
5
3
7
3
7
3
5
3
5
3
7
3
7
3
5
3
5
3
7
3
7
3
C (chord I)
5
3
5
3
7
3
7
3
5
3
5
3
7
3
7
3
5
3
5
3
7
3
7
3
41
&
&
5
F (chord IV)
5
3
5
3
7
3
7
3
C (chord I)
F (chord IV)
5
3
51
5
3
7
3
7
3
5
3
&
&
5
3
7
3
7
3
5
3
5
3
7
3
7
3
5
3
5
3
7
3
C (chord I)
7
3
5
3
5
3
7
3
7
3
5
3
5
3
7
3
7
3
5
3
5
3
7
3
& 61
G (chord V)
7
5
7
5
9
5
9
5
71
&
7
5
7
5
9
5
5
3
9
5
F (chord IV)
5
3
7
3
7
3
5
3
5
3
7
3
C (chord I)
7
3
5
3
5
3
7
3
7
3
5
3
G (chord V)
5
3
7
3
7
3
5
3
5
3
7
3
7
3
5
3
5
3
7
3
7
3
7
3
Now you have the basic 12 bar blues progression under your belt why dont you try having a go at improvising over
the top. For this you would use the blues scale. The blues scale is very similar to the minor pentatonic scale, but with
an additional lowered 5th note (lowered by half a step/semitone), or blues note. To see the blues chord progressions
with their relevant blues scales in every key please see the the chart on the next page.
MUSIC
www.dsmusic.com
Page 2
###
&
12 Bar
Chords
##
w w
w
n
w
w
w
w
nw
#w
w
w
w
Blues
Chords
w
w
w
IV7
I7
C#
Db
MUSIC
7
V
w
w
w
w ww
w
n
w
w
w
nw
w w #w
w
w
w
w
w
w
b
w
w
b
w
n
w
#
w
#
& ##
w
w
w
w
ww w
#w
w
<n>
& # nw
w
w
wF
w nw
C
w G
nw ww #w
#
w
b
w
w
w
& #### # nw
w w
w #w
w
w
ww
& # w
w nww w
w w
#
w nw #w
w
w nw
& ##### ## nnw
w
w
w
w
w
#
#
b
w
&b b
n
bw
w
w
w
b
w
&
w
w w w
w
w
w
G#
C#
###
wF# w
w
n
w
w
ww #nnw
&b
w
nbw
w
ww
w
w
b
b
b
w
&
w
b
w
w
bw
&b b
w <n>w
w w
w
w
####
w
w
w
w
w
<n>
w
w
& bbb
w bnw
w
w
w
w
n
#
w
ww
w
& b bbb bbw
w nw
w
w
w
&
w
w
ww
w
####
wDb w
w
w
Gb
w
w
w
#
#
wAb
n
& bb
w
b
w
n
w
ww nw
ww w
w
w w
& b b bb ww
w w
#### # nw
ww #w
www.dsmusic.com
w
w
w
#
w
n
& bb
w
ww w
w
w
b
b
w
w
b
& b b b w w
w w
#
&#
&
I7
IV7
V7
x x
1
2
3
37
6
10
Blues
Scale
2
3
C#
4 1
x x
G#
41
1 1
2
1
4
2
3
F#
D b7
4 1
x x
Gb7
Ab7
41
1
2
1
3
1 1
Page 3
####
#
37
48
59
3
7
59
37
59
6
10
3
7
6
10
37
w nw b w w
b
w
b
w
&
bw w
w #w
w
w
n
b
w
#
w
w
w
b
w
w
& w
## w w #w
w
w
#
w
#
#w
# ###
8
4 3
w ww bw w
w
#
w
w
w
w
b
w
w
n
ww b w w ####
8
2
11
5
## 104
#### #
##
8
2
9
3
8
2
10
4
8
2
10
4
11
5
8
2
11
5
w
#w
ww #nww w
w
#
w
w
#ww w w b
#### w w
& w w #w w
w
&
# w w w bw nw
b
bbbb
9
5
9
12
5
8
9
11
12
5
7
8
#
9
11
#
5
7
9
10# # 11
95 128 5 6 b 7
bbbbbb
b w bw
#### bw bw bw bw w bw
& bw bw bw bwbb#bw
b b bb
10
#### # 10 12 10 12 13 10 13
10 13 10 bbb11b #b 12
bb
&
w w
#### #
w
#
w
w
Copyright
2014 DS Music
w
w# ##w w w
w
w
w
&
12 Bar
#
Chords
&
##
&
nw
I7
w
w
w
w
w
w
bIV
ww
w
w
7
MUSIC
x x
#w
w
V7
w
w
w nw
nw
w
w #w
w w
w
w
ww bw w
w
w
w
w
b
w
n
w
&
w
w
w
wA
w
G
D
w
<n> w
w w
###
w
n
w
w
w
w
&
nw
#w
w
w
w
nww ww #w
#
w
w
bw
w
w
&
w
w w
w w
w
#b###
w
w
w
w
ww
w
n
b
&
n
w
w
w
b
& b# b
w
w
n
#
w nw
w #w
n
w
w
#
w
w
w
&
w
w w
w w
wAb wBb
Eb
ww
#b###
w
nw
w
w
w
w
b
w
#
#
w
n
w
b
&
w
b
w
b
bw
w
&# #
nw
w
w
w
w
n
w
#
w
w
w
&
nw
w w #w
w
w
w
w
#
# # nw bw
#nw
w
w
w
w
n
w
& bb#b#b#b# bw
w
w
w
w
w
## #
w
w
w
w
w
w
&
nw
w
w
w
nw
#
w w w
w nw
w
#b##b# b## bw
nw
wB
w
w
A
E
w
n
#
w
w
b
w
& b# b# ww w
w w
## #
w w
w
w w
#w
w
& # nw
w
w
w
nw
ww w
w
w
w
www.dsmusic.com
nw
b
w
b
b
w
w
w
w
b
w
b
b
w
b
b
& # b b w w <n>w
w
# # nw w #w
w nww w
& # ## w
w
7
Eb
&
# w # w #w nw ##w
&
w bw bw nw
w bGuitar
& Scales Chart for
6
7 # 8
Scale
Blues
6
9
I7
IV7
V7
#
1
2
3
1
4
D
A
G
& w w w bw #nw
##
1
1
&
b
w
nw
2
2
3
bw bw
2
3
b
w
#
3
w
w
w
b
w
w
w
bw
n
w
w
w
w
w w <n> w
w
Blues Chords
Ab7
Eb7
41
1 1
2
2
3
E7
A7
x
1
2
10 13 10 11# ##12
6 9 6 7## 8
#
&
nww
Bb
b
#
w b#ww
& bww bbww bw
#bb##b
1
1
##b#
4
3
3 6 3 #4 5
11 14 11 ##b12b##b# 13
##b##b
&
nw
w bw w bw
&
w
bw
b w b w bw##b#bw
#
#
B
& w w w b b##bb#bnw
## #
1
#
2
3
4
8 11 84 95 106
4
7
bbb
12 15 12 b# b13# b #bb14
# ##
Page 4 &
b
b
b
w
n
w
b
w b w # ## # w
# ##
#w #w #w
bw nw bw w
w
b
w
b
bw w
6
w w
b
w
n
w
w
w
w w
b w bw
b
w
n
w
w
b
b
w
bw b w
1
10
12
10
6
12
8
13
9
10
13
10
6
ww b ww
b
w
w
n
b
w
b
w
b
w
w
w bw
w bw b w
bw
3
11
13
11
13
14
11
14
3
11
w bw w
w
n
b
w
b
w
bw w
bw b w
w
bw
w
b
w
b
bw bw w w b w nw w w
w w
8
10
12
14
10
11
12
14
15
11
12
15
4
12
bw w
n
b
w
w
w
b
w
b
Copyright 2014 DS Music
bw w
#### # nw
ww #w
w
w
n
w
#
w
#
w
&#
w
n
#
w
w
w
w
w w
&
w
w
12 Bar Bluesww Chords
&
w
w
##### ## nw
7 nw 7
w
Chords
IV
V7
I7
I
w
w
w
#
w
#
#
w
w
&#
w #w
w nw
w
&
nw
w w w
w
w
F
w
w
3
1
nw
w
b
w
w
w
#
b
w
#
w
b
w
2
#
w <n>w
F &
w
w
w
&#
w
n
w
3
4
nw
w
#
w w
w
Bb
C
wF w
w
<n>
w
b
w
w
w
w
ww bw
w
& #b#### bnw
w
w
w w
ww
#
w
& bb
w
n
b
w
w
nw
w
w
b
&
ww bw
w
w
w
w w
F#
#### # nw
ww #nw
w
w
w
#
w
n
b
w
b
1
w
F# &
b
w
b
w
w
bw
& b
w
2
w
w
wF# wB C#
3
w
#### ## nw
n
w
w
w
b
w
w
#
b # w w
&
nw
w
w
w
& b bbb bw
w
w
w
bww bww w w
&
b
w
w
w
b
#
b
w
#
w w w #bw####nw
& bw
#
x x
bbw
w
w
w
w
w
Gb
MUSIC
w
bb b
w
w
b
w
b
w
www w
&
& b b bbb bw
w
ww
w w
w
Gb7
www.dsmusic.com
C b7
C7
Scale
10
13
Blues
12
15
&
1
2
3
B7
4 1
1
2
C#7
4
4
nnw
w
w
b
w
ww
w <n>w
w
w
w
w w
bb
&
& b bbbb
Bb7
1
V7
x x
IV7
<n> w
Db
w
w
bw
x x
Gb7
Cb7
1
1
2
D b7
4
3
Page 5
10
12
####b14
11
13
12
10
12
12
14
10
12
12
14
13
15
13
15
10
12
w ww
w
#
w
w
b
w
w
w bw bw bw nw
w
w
w
#
w
w
w
b
w
b w nbw
ww b w b w ####b#
1
17
39
4
10
####bb#b
b#bb
b
bw bw bw
w
b
w
b
&
bw nw
w w w
& b w bw bw #
w
#
w
w #w
# w w w## #b##b#
bbb
6
8
9
6
8
6
7
8
2
4
5
6 9
2
4
2 5 2 3 4
bbb bb bw bw bw b w w
b
& bw bw bw w bbw
w #w w
#
w
w
& # w w #w w b# w
bw w
w
b
&
w
b
b
11
13
14
w b w bbwbbbbbw bw
11
13
b
w
11 14 11 12 13
9
11
12
9
11
9
10
11
2
4
5
9 12 2 3 bbb 4 2 4 bw bw w
& 2 w5 bw w bw bw bw
bw b
&
10
12
17
4
10
17
28
39
17
39
17
4
10
nw b w b w
#w w #w
6
2
9
5
6
2
b w bw b w
#w w # w
bw bw b11w
11
14
12
9
2
bw bw b w
2
4 bw
7 bw
4 bw
6 w
7 bw
w
b
b 4 bw6
bw bw4 w5 bw6 w
& w w w bw nw w
b w bw
b
w
n
w
w
b
b
w
bw b w
&
b
w
n
w
b
w
b
w
b w Guitar
10
Chart for
10
13
Chords
&
w w7
7 bw 7
w
IV
V
I
w
w
bw
nw
w
w
w
w
w
w
<n> w
nw ww
w
bw
w
w
w
w w
w
G7
Ab
C7
MUSIC
G7
C7
D7
x x
1
2
3
11
& w
&
bw
D7
IV
##
ww nw
w
n
#
ww
w
b
w
n
b
w
&
b
w
ww
b
w
bbw
&
w
w
w
w
bw
n
w
w
&
w
w
w
w
w
w
<n> w
ww nw
##b#
w
n
w
b
w
b
w
w
&
n
##w
bnwww w
& #b b
w
w
w
w
w
w
b
w
w w w
w
&
w
w Dwb w
w
Ab
Eb
##b#b#
w
w
w
b
w
w
nww
&
nw
w
w
& #b b b nbw
w
w
#
n
w
w
w
w
n
w
#
#
w
w
w w
w
&
w
w
w w
w
w
#
w
#
w
bw
nw
w
w
w
w
w
#
w
w
& b#bb#b#b#b nw
w
w
w
w
nw
w
##
w
ww
nw
w #w
w
w
w
&
nw
w w w
w
w
w
##b#b# b# nwwA w w
#
w
E
D
w
w bw
w
n
w
& b b# b# b ww
w
w w
## #
w
w
w w
ww
w
w
&
n
w
w
w
nw
#
w w w
w
w
#
#
www.dsmusic.com
nw
## nw
w
#
w
#
w
w
#
w
#
w
&# #
w
w
w w
w
w
w
#
#
w
& # nww w
w #w
7
#w
w
w
w
6
10
11 #12
Scale
6
9
Blues
10
13
6
8
9
6
8
6
7
8
6 9
w
bw nw bw
w
w
b
w
b
w
w bw
bw b w w b w
&
b
w
w
n
w
w
#
b
w
b
w
& bw
w bw bw w #bw
10
Ab7
41
1 1 4
D b7
x x
Eb7
1
A7
x x
D7
&
E7
1
1
2
Page 6
12
10
12
13
### 11 13 11 13 14
11
12 b b13
b b#
14
w bw w
w
n
b
w
b
w
w
bw b w
bw w bw nw bw
w
bw
w
b
w
b
#b###bw bw bw
w
w
b
w
b
b b#bb
8
8
11
#
8
10
11
4
6
11
#b#5#b# 6
b b b##b
##
9
10
10
11
14
11
w w
#b##b# #
w
nw
b
w
w
b bbwb##bbnw w w
w
w
## #
w
5
#### #
# #7
5
6
####
#
bw
b wDS Music
Copyright
2014
w
bw
w
b
w
b
b
## #bw bw bw
& bw bw bw ##w
#
w
w
nw
w
w
w
w
#
nnw
w
w
w
w w
w
bww
w
w
w
w
w
w wChords &
12 Bar Blues
w
w
7
7
nVw
b
w
w
Chords
I7
I7 bnIV
w
w
b
w
w
#
w
w
& #
nw
w <n>#w
w w
w
&
w
w w
w w
w w
Bb
w <n> w
b
w 1 1
b
w
w
w
#
b
w
#
w
b
w
&
w
w
Bb & b#
w nw
w #nww
w
w
n
w
4
3
b
w
w
ww bw w
&b b
w
w
w
Bb
w
F
Eb
w
####
w
w w
w
w
n
w
w
w
&bb b
nw #w
w
w
b
n
w
b
w
bw
&
ww ww ww
w
B
####
w w
w w
w
1
w
b
w
w
#
#
n
w
b
&
w
b
2
3
4
b
w
n
w
B & b b b www nwww ww
w w w
B
E
F#
#
## # # bnw
ww n#ww
w ww
b
#
n
w
b
&
w ww
w w
& b b bb w
w
w w
#### ##
&# #
&
&
Cb
#### ## nw
nww
w
b
#
b
w
&
b
w
w
& b b b b w w
w
w w
w
w
C
b
Fb
b
w
w
w
w
&b
w bw
w
7
MUSIC
b
&b
Eb7
F7
x x
3
3
Scale
Blues
1
4
5
8
1
2
3
E7
x x
w
#bw
w
w
w
w
1
1
2
3
C b7
Fb7
b
nGw
ww
<n>w
w
7
x x
Gb7
1
2
F#7
w <n> w
w
w
b
w
w
w w
bw
w
w
w
www.dsmusic.com
V7
IV7
w bw
w b w bw nnw
b
w
w
b
w b w b w bbw #nb#nw
2
3
Page 7
2
6
##bb# 7
3
&
w nw bbw
& b w bw bw bw
w
& bbww bww bbww # b#bbb#w w
#b
b bb
6
26 59 26 37 48 102
10 13 10 #11####12
bbb bw
b
bw
w
& bw bw bw
&
ww b#bww ww
b
w
w
w
b# w w w
4
4
5
6
4
7
1
5
1
5
72
10
5
72
83
bb 94
72
3
7
1
5
3
7
4
8
1
5
4
8
1
5
bbw bbw
b
w
n
w
w
b
b
w
bww bww
bw bww bbw ww bbw
w
bbww
8
4
6
2
8
4
9
5
10
12
13
6
2
9
5
10
13
6
2
10
w b w b w b w
w
b
w
b
bw
b w bw
w
bw
b
w
w
#
w
bw bw
12
13
11
97
13
11
9
14
12
10
11
14
97
12
10
72
10
5
11
9
7
bw b w
w
bw
w
b
w
b
bw
b#ww
w
w
w
b
b
w
w
w
b#ww w w w #4w 7 4
4
6
7
11
9
94
72
94
10
5
72
w
wDS #Music
w
#
w
Copyright
2014
w
#
w
& w w #w wbbb# w w #w
#