12 Bar Blues Music: The Basics

Get an introduction to 12 bar blues music, including its history and key features. Plus, find out how you can use this style of music to improve your own guitar playing!

What is 12 bar blues?

The 12-bar blues is one of the most important chord progressions in all of western music. It has been used countless times in jazz, rock, blues, and pop songs and is a staple of any musician’s repertoire.

In its simplest form, the 12-bar blues consists of three chords: the tonic (I), the subdominant (IV), and the dominant (V). These three chords are played over a 12-bar chord progression, which can be broken down into four 3-bar phrases.

The first phrase (bars 1-3) is typically the tonic chord. The second phrase (bars 4-6) is typically the subdominant chord. The third phrase (bars 7-9) is typically the dominant chord. The fourth phrase (bars 10-12) is typically the tonic chord again.

This 4-chord progression can be played with any combination of chords, but the most common variation is to use 7th chords instead of regular triads. For example, in a Blues in C, you would use C7, F7, and G7 instead of just C, F, and G.

While this may seem like a very simple progression, it is extremely versatile and can be used in a variety of ways. For example, you can add 9th or 13th chords to each chord for added color. You can also change the order of the chords or play different chords altogether.

The possibilities are endless, but understanding the basic 12-bar blues progression is essential for any musician who wants to learn how to improvise or compose their own music.

The history of 12 bar blues

The 12 bar blues is a type of musical composition created by African Americans in the early 1900s. The name “12 bar blues” comes from the fact that the music is based on a repeating chord progression that lasts for 12 bars (or measures). This chord progression is usually made up of three different chords, which are played in a specific order:

The history of 12 bar blues music can be traced back to the black communities of the southern United States. In the early 1900s, these communities were vibrant centers of cultural expression, and the 12 bar blues was just one of many musical genres that developed during this time. While the exact origins of the 12 bar blues are unknown, it is likely that this type of music was influenced by a number of different factors, including African musical traditions, European classical music, and American folk music.

One of the earliest examples of 12 bar blues can be found in W.C. Handy’s “St. Louis Blues”, which was published in 1912. This composition helped to popularize the 12 bar blues format, and it inspired many other musicians to begin experimenting with this new style of music. By the 1920s, the 12 bar blues had become one of the most popular genres in America, and it continued to gain popularity throughout the following decades.

Today, the 12 bar blues is one of the most important foundation stones of modern popular music. Many hit songs from a variety of genres (including rock, pop, country, and jazz) are based on this classic chord progression, and its influence can still be heard in new music being created today. If you’re interested in learning more about this important musical style, check out our article on How to Play 12 Bar Blues Guitar

The structure of 12 bar blues

The 12 bar blues is a musical form that is commonly used in blues and rock songs. Though it is usually played on electric guitar, it can be adapted for acoustic guitar, piano, and other instruments. The basic structure of 12 bar blues consists of 12 measures, or bars, of music. The first two bars are typically an introduction, followed by four measures of the main riff or melody. This is followed by two more bars of the main riff, two more bars of the introduction, and then four more measures of the main riff to finish the piece. The tempo can vary depending on the style of music, but is typically around 100-120 beats per minute.

The chord progression of 12 bar blues

The chord progression of 12 bar blues is probably the most important thing to understand about playing blues guitar. Once you have a good understanding of how the 12 bar blues progression works, you can start to add your own stylistic flair to your playing.

The basic chord progression of 12 bar blues is made up of three chords: the tonic (or “root” chord), the subdominant, and the dominant. In the key of C, these chords would be C, F, and G. The tonic chord is usually played for the first four bars, followed by the subdominant chord for two bars, and then the dominant chord for one bar. This pattern then repeats itself for the rest of the 12 bars.

One of the great things about playing blues guitar is that there is a lot of room for improvisation. For example, you can add passing notes between chords, or play around with different rhythms. You can also experiment with different voicings for each chord. Voicings are simply different ways of playing a given chord on the guitar.

If you’re just starting out, it’s a good idea to keep things simple and just focus on getting a good feel for the basic 12 bar blues progression. Once you’ve got that down, you can start to add your own embellishments and really make the blues your own.

The 12 bar blues shuffle

The basic structure of the 12 bar blues shuffle is very simple. It consists of 12 bars (measures), all of which are based on the I, IV and V chords of a given key. In a major key, the I, IV and V chords are the tonic (1st), subdominant (4th) and dominant (5th) chords, respectively. In a minor key, the chords are based on the 1st, 4th and 5th scale degrees.

The most common form of the 12 bar blues shuffle uses only three different chords:

I IV V

The tonic chord (I) is played for four bars, followed by the subdominant chord (IV) for two bars, then the dominant chord (V) for two bars. This produces a twelve-bar phrase that can be repeated indefinitely.

In its simplest form, the 12 bar blues shuffle can be thought of as a kind of ” repeating cycle” of chord changes. The cycle begins with the tonic chord, then moves to the subdominant chord, before resolving back to the tonic chord to begin anew. Because of this structure, the 12 bar blues is sometimes referred to as “the circle progression”.

The 12 bar blues turnaround

The 12 bar blues turnaround is a progression that is used in a variety of genres, including blues, rock, and jazz. This progression is typically played at the end of a 12 bar blues progression, and it serves as a way to transition back to the beginning of the progression. The turnaround usually consists of two chords, and it can be played in a variety of different ways.

There are a few different ways to play the 12 bar blues turnaround. The most common way is to play the root chord (the first chord in the progression) for two bars, followed by the second chord for one bar, and then resolving back to the first chord for one bar. This creates a nice little phrase that you can repeat over and over again. Another way to play the turnaround is to play the first chord for four bars, followed by the second chord for two bars, and then resolving back to the first chord for one bar. This creates a longer phrase that you can repeat over and over again.