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Blues Chords

12 Bar Blues Rhythm Progressions

The most common blues form is the 12 bar blues, known as a 1, 4, 5 progression. It is built from the first chord, fourth chord and fifth chord from the scale.

The A Major scale (in the key of A)

• Step 1 = A
• Step 4 = D
• Step 5 = E

The chords used to play the progression could be either Major, minor or dominant seventh chords.

• A combination of the 3 chord types are regularly used when playing the blues.
• When using either Major or minor chords, the seventh chord can be added to either progression which helps to create dynamic within the piece of music.
• The seventh chord is conventionally used at the end of the bar just before changing to next chord.
• Sometimes all three chord types could be used within a single blues progression.

Below are 4 basic 12 bar blues chord progressions

4/4 in the key of A Major

1st progression using the chords A Major, D Major and E Major.

4/4 in the key of A Major

2nd progression is using a combination of Major and dominant seventh chords. Using the chords A, A7, D, D7, E and E7.

4/4 in the key of G Major

3rd progression the chords G Major, C Major and D Major

4/4 in the key of A minor

4th progression is a minor progression and use the chords A minor, D minor and E minor

Blues Turnaround

The last four bars of a 12 bar blues progression is known as the turnaround section, this gives the 12 bar blues its distinctive sound. It is Bars 9, 10, 11 and 12, where the progression reaches its climax before returning to the beginning or ending the progression.

*Tip: to end the progression, after the turn around section the last chord played would be the root/1st chord.

12 Bar Blues Shuffle

The blues shuffle has been used in most genres of music and is still currently used in popular music to this very day. The shuffle can be played fast or slow. It is based around the standard 12 bar blues using the chord tones of A, D and E.

To play this blues shuffle

• The 1st note is played in fret 2 on the D string with the index finger.
• The other note is in the 4th fret, it is played with finger 3.
• The 3rd finger gives the movement and creates the shuffle feel.
• To play the A shuffle part, focus on the A and D string.

A A A A D D

e|------------------------------------------------------|
B|------------------------------------------------------|
G|-------------------------------------2-2-4-4--2-2-4-4-|
D|-2-2-4-4--2-2-4-4--2-2-4-4--2-2-4-4--0-0-0-0--0-0-0-0-|
A|-0-0-0-0--0-0-0-0--0-0-0-0--0-0-0-0-------------------|
E|------------------------------------------------------|

A A E D A E

e|------------------------------------------------------|
B|------------------------------------------------------|
G|---------------------------2-2-4-4--------------------|
D|-2-2-2-2--2-2-2-2----------0-0-0-0--2-2-4-4-----------|
A|-0-0-0-0--0-0-0-0--2-2-4-4----------0-0-0-0--2-2-4-4--|
E|-------------------0-0-0-0-------------------0-0-0-0--|

Classic 12 Bar Blues Riff

This is a riff that has been used in blues and rock across the years. It is based around the 12 bar blues progression in the key of A.

A A A A

e|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
B|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
G|-----2-2-0-0---------2-2-0-0----------2-2-0-0---------2-2-0-0--------------|
D|-------------2-2-------------2-2--------------2-2-------------2-2----------|
A|-0-0-------------0-0--------------0-0-------------0-0----------------------|
E|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|

D D A A

e|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
B|-----3-3-1-1---------3-3-1-1-----------------------------------------------|
G|-------------2-2-------------2-2-----2-2-0-0-----------2-2-0-0-------------|
D|-0-0-------------0-0--------------------------2-2--------------2-2---------|
A|---------------------------------0-0---------------0-0---------------------|
E|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|

E D A E

e|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
B|---------------------3-3-1-1-----------------------------------------------|
G|-----------------------------2-2-----2-2-0-0-------------------------------|
D|-----2-2-0-0-----0-0-------------------------2-2-----2-2-0-0---------------|
A|-------------2-2-----------------0-0-------------------------2-2-----------|
E|-0-0---------------------------------------------0-0-----------------------|