How Many Chords Does Blues Music Have?

If you’re a fan of the blues, you might be wondering how many chords are typically used in this genre of music. While the answer may vary depending on who you ask, the reality is that there are only a handful of chords that are commonly used in blues songs.

The Three Chord Trick

The Three Chord Trick is a common blues music chord progression. It consists of the chords I, IV and V, which are usually played in the keys of A, D and E. Sometimes other keys are used, but these are the most common.

The Three Chord Trick is sometimes called the “blue note” chord progression because it uses the blue notes that are characteristic of blues music. The blue notes are the flattened third, fifth and seventh notes of the major scale. In the key of A, these notes would be C, E and G#.

The Three Chord Trick is used in many different styles of music, including rock, country and pop. It’s a very popular progression because it’s easy to remember and it sounds good.

The Five Chord Progression

The Five chord progression is the most famous and commonly used chord progression in blues music. It is also sometimes called the “OneFourFive” progression, because it is made up of the chords built on the first, fourth, and fifth degrees of the major scale. The Five chord progression has been used by countless blues artists, and it has been adapted for use in other genres of music as well.

The Twelve Bar Blues

The twelve bar blues is the most common blues chord progression. It is usually played in the key of E, though it can be played in any key. The chord progression is as follows:

E – E – A – A – B – E

The first two bars are typically played in the key of E, with the chords being E and A. The next two bars are typically played in the key of A, with the chords being A and B. The last two bars are typically played in the key of E, with the chords being B and E.

The twelve bar blues can be played with any combination of chords, as long as they follow this basic progression.