12 Bar Blues Music: The Characteristics You Need to Know

If you’re a fan of the blues, then you’ll want to know all about the 12 bar blues. This type of music has some very distinct characteristics that make it unique. Keep reading to learn more!

What is 12 Bar Blues Music?

12 bar blues is a form of music with a length of 12 measures, or bars, that is repeated throughout the song. The chord progression over those 12 measures usually goes I-IV-V (1-4-5), though there are variations. For example, in the key of C major, those chords would be C-F-G. The melody and lyrics usually remain the same for each repetition of the 12 bars as well.

The blues has been around for a long time and has been an influence on many other genres of music, including jazz and rock. 12 bar blues is one of the most common forms of blues music and its simple chord progression makes it easy to play and improvise on.

If you’re interested in learning more about 12 bar blues or want to start playing it yourself, this article will give you all the information you need to get started. We’ll go over the history of the genre, its characteristic sound, and how to play it yourself.

The Characteristics of 12 Bar Blues Music

12 Bar Blues Music is a type of music that originated in the African American communities in the United States. This type of music is characterized by a specific chord progression and a specific number of bars. The chord progression usually consists of the I, IV, and V chords. The number of bars is usually 12, but it can sometimes be 8 or 16.

The Basic Structure

The blues is a fantastic genre of music that has influenced virtually every other genre of music since its inception. The blues is known for its simple, yet powerful, chord progressions and melody lines. It is also known for its distinctive “bluesy” sound, which is created by the interaction between the blues musician and his or her instrument.

One of the most distinctive features of the blues is its 12-bar structure. This structure is used in virtually all blues songs, regardless of the style or era in which they were created. The 12-bar blues progression is built around the I-IV-V chords, which are the first, fourth, and fifth chords in a major scale. In a 12-bar blues progression, these chords are played in a specific order: I-I-I-I-IV-IV-I-I-V-IV-I-I. This progression can be played with any combination of chords, but the most common variation uses seventh chords (such as E7 or A7) instead of regular major or minor chords.

The 12 bars of a typical blues progression can be divided into three distinct sections, each with its own unique feel and purpose. The first section (bars 1-4) is known as the “grand opening.” This section sets up the mood and feel of the song and establishes the tonality (key) of the piece. The second section (bars 5-8) is known as the “meat and potatoes” or “main course” of the song. This section contains the bulk of the melody and usually features a guitar solo or improvised Matthew Dykema’s board work by one or more members of the band. The third section (bars 9-12) is known as the “turnaround.” This section helps to bring resolution to the song by resolving any harmonic tension that has been building throughout the piece.

One of the most important aspects of playing 12 bar Blues Music is understanding how to comp (accompany) someone else while they are soloing. The best way to do this is to focus on playing solid rhythms that complement what the soloist is doing. A good rule of thumb is to play rhythms that outlinethe chord changes while also adding some level of interest and variation. For example, if someone is soloing over a 12 bar Blues in E, you might play an E7 chord on beats 1 and 3, an A7 chord on beats 2 and 4, a B7 chord on beat 5, an E7 chord on beat 6, etc..

The Chords

In its simplest form, the 12 bar blues is built on three chords, typically played in the following order:

I – I – I – I

IV – IV – I – I

V – IV – I – I

These chords are typically played using either seventh chords or basic triads. For example, a typical shuffle progression in the key of C might use the following chords:

C7, F7, G7, C7

The Feel

The feel of 12 bar blues is very important. The most important characteristic is the backbeat. The backbeat is count 2 and 4 in 4/4 time. That’s the “ba-dump, ba-dump” that you feel when you clap your hands along with a blues song. It’s also sometimes called the “shuffle” or “swing” feel.

The backbeat combined with theampa rhythm creates a very distinctive groove that is irresistible to dance to. This is one of the reasons why blues became so popular in the early 20th century. It was perfect for dancing, especially the new style of dance called “jitterbugging.”

In addition to the backbeat, another important characteristic of 12 bar blues is the use of “blue notes.” These are notes that are slightly flattened or sharpened from their normal pitch. This gives blues music its distinctive “sad” sound.

How to Play 12 Bar Blues Music

The 12 bar blues is a style of music that has a very distinctive sound. It is often used in blues and rock songs. If you are a beginner, it is important to understand the basics of this style of music before you try to play it. In this section, we will cover the basics of 12 bar blues music.

The Basic Structure

The most common type of 12-bar blues is built using the I-IV-V chord progression. In the key of C, this would be C-F-G. The first two bars (the “A” section) establish the tonic chord, the third and fourth bars (the “B” section) move to the subdominant chord, and the last two bars (the “C” section) move back to the tonic chord. This basic structure can be embellished with additional chords, but the I-IV-V progression is at the heart of most 12-bar blues songs.

The Chords

In its simplest form, the 12-bar blues is built on three chords, usually played in a I-IV-V progression. For example, in the key of C, these would be C (I), F (IV), and G (V). In the key of A, it would be A (I), D (IV), and E (V).

While this basic progression can be used in any key, it’s most commonly played in keys that use open chords on the guitar, such as E, A, and D. This is because playing open chords is generally easier than barre chords, which are typically needed to play in keys such as C and G.

The chord progression for a 12-bar blues is usually written out as follows:

I I I I
IV IV I I
V V I I

The Feel

The feel of 12 bar blues is relaxed, easygoing, and often described as “loping.” The music doesn’t hurry along, but moves at a nice, even pace that’s perfect for dancing, listening, or just hanging out. You’ll often hear people clapping along with the beat or tapping their feet to the music.

12 bar blues is one of the most popular forms of music in the world. It’s been influential in the development of other genres like rock and roll, jazz, and country. If you’re a fan of any of those genres, then you’ve probably heard 12 bar blues without even knowing it!

The classic 12 bar blues progression is built around the I-IV-V chords of a key. In the key of C, those chords would be C-F-G. In the key of G, they would be G-C-D. And so on.

There are four measures (or bars) in a 12 bar blues progression. The first two bars establish the tonic chord (I). The next two bars move to the subdominant chord (IV). The next two bars resolve back to the tonic chord (I). The last four bars repeat this pattern with a few variations: Bars 9-10 might move to the dominant chord (V) instead of staying on the subdominant chord (IV), and bars 11-12 might move back to the tonic chord (I) instead of resolving to the subdominant chord (IV).

This repeating pattern is what gives 12 bar blues its characteristic sound. It’s also why 12 bar blues is such a great form for beginner musicians to learn: once you know the progression, you can play it in any key just by moving up or down the fretboard!