The Blues Turnaround

Lesson 3/39 | Study Time: 5 Min
Course: Beginner Jazz Guitar
The Blues Turnaround

The Blues Turnaround

The last two bars of a Blues progression is called a "turnaround". A turnaround is a short series of chords that will take you from I back to V leading back to I again. The turnaround in basic form in the key of Bb is:

A Jazz player would more commonly play:

Many other variations are possible, e.g., in the basic Blues which follows try substituting the different turnarounds given in place of the last 2 bars. You will notice that they all lead back to the I chord.

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Steve Sutton and Gary Turner

Steve Sutton and Gary Turner

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Class Sessions

1- The Major Chord 2- Chord Chart 3- Scales and Key Signatures 4- Chord Symbols 5- The Blues Progression 6- Scale Tone Chords 7- Minor Seven Flat Five 8- Root 4 Chords 9- Augmented 10- Root 5 - Minor Sixth 11- Root 5 - Minor Sixth 12- Minor Sixth Chord 13- Ninth Chord 14- Root 5 - Minor Seventh 15- Root 5 - Dominant Seventh 16- Root 5 Chord Shapes 17- INTRODUCTION 18- Summary of Keys 19- Minor Chord 20- Dominant Seventh Chord 21- Major Sixth Chord 22- Root 5 - Major Sixth Chord 23- Major Seventh Chord 24- Summary of Scale Tone Chords 25- Jazz Guitarists of Note 26- The Major Chord Formula 27- The Blues Turnaround 28- Altered Chords 29- Minor Seventh Chord 30- Cycle of Fifths 31- Root 5 Major Seventh 32- Scale Tone Chord Extensions 33- Common Blues Turnaround 34- Comping 35- Principal Chords 36- Summary of Scale Tone Extension Chords 37- Traditional Four to the Bar Rhythm Playing 38- Playing Scale Tone Extensions 39- Scale Tone Chord Extensions in the Key of C

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