The 12 Bar Blues Progression

Lesson 3/65 | Study Time: 5 Min

Course: Blues Guitar

The 12 Bar Blues Progression

The 12 Bar Blues is a pattern of chords which repeats every 12 bars. It is the most common progression in Blues music, and is used extensively in Rock and Jazz as well. There are usually three different chords used. Each of these chords relates to one basic key. As mentioned in the previous lesson, the key is the central note around which a piece of music is based.

For example, a piece of music in the key of C would often be based on notes from the C major scale. Chords can be built from any notes of the scale. In Blues, the most common chords are those built on notes 1, 4 and 5 of the major scale. So in the key of C, these chords would be C, F and G, as is shown in the following diagram. For more detail about major scales in general, see Progressive Complete Learn to Play Guitar Manual.

Chord numbers in music are usually indicated by Roman numerals, as shown here.

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1- Bending Notes 2- The Blues Scale 3- The Minor Pentatonic Scale 4- The Mixolydian Scale 5- INTRODUCTION 6- The Triplet 7- Identifying Eighth Note Rhythms 8- Boogie Rhythms 9- Eighth Note Rhythms 10- Slurs 11- The Slide 12- Understanding Chords 13- Rhythm Notation 14- The Release Bend 15- Vibrato 16- Moving to Different Keys 17- Twelve Eight Time (<span class="symbolA">+</span> ) 18- Tuning Up 19- Five Forms Of The Pentatonic Scale 20- Moving Between Forms 21- More About The Blues Scale 22- Electronic Tuner 23- Vibrato With Bent Notes 24- Open Position A Blues Scale 25- Open Position Minor Pentatonic Scale 26- Open String Sounds 27- Open String Mixolydian Riffs 28- Strumming Triplets 29- Ties 30- Enharmonic Notes 31- Alternate Strumming 32- The 12 Bar Blues Progression 33- The G Major Chord 34- Blues Chords 35- Identifying Scale Patterns 36- Slight Bends 37- Five Forms of the Blues Scale 38- Experimenting With Sounds 39- Swing Rhythms 40- Jam Along Progressions 41- Open Position E Blues Scale 42- Blues Licks 43- Chord Diagrams 44- Syncopation 45- Strumming 46- Chords I IV and V in all Keys 47- Keys 48- Listening 49- E Minor Pentatonic Scale 50- Rhythm Notation 51- The Seventh Chord 52- I IV and V as 7th Chords 53- The Shuffle 54- Slide Finger 55- Scale Diagrams 56- Power Chords 57- Chord Progressions 58- Tablature 59- Right Hand Damping 60- The C Major Chord 61- Tablature Symbols 62- The Pivot 63- How To Hold The Guitar 64- Technique 65- Music Notation

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The 12 Bar Blues Progression