12 Bar Blues Chords & Scales for Guitar
The 12 bar blues is a 12 bar long chord progression that solo blues musicians can easily improvise over the top of because the chord progression is familiar to them. This chord progression is based around the most important chords in a key I, IV & V (1, 4 & 5) and is repeated over and over for the duration of the piece. It is usually in 4/4 (4 crotchet beats per bar) and uses 1 chord per bar with 12 bars in total - thus the 12 bar blues.
The 12 bar blues progression is as follows: I I I I IV IV I I V IV I V
It is very common in blues music to add 7ths to the major chords giving that classic blues sound. These are constructed of a major triad (as in the table below) and then adding a minor 7th on the top (10 semitones above the root forming dominant 7th chords). For example in C Major this would be:
Chord I C E G Bb Chord IV F A C Eb Chord V G B D F
Try playing4 the 12 bar blues progression in C with just the major triads: &4 (chord I) (chord I) (chord I) (chord I) &4 CVVVV CV VVV CVVVV CVVVV 4 VVVV V VVV VVVV VVVV &4 VVVV V VVV VVVV VVVV
F (chord IV) F (chord IV) C(chord I) C (chord I) & VVVV VVVV VVVV VVVV & VVVV VVVV VVVV VVVV & VVVV VVVV VVVV VVVV G(chord V) F (chord IV) C (chord I) G(chord V) & VVVV VVVV VVVV VVVV & VVVV VVVV VVVV VVVV & Now tryVVVV playing it in the same key,VVVV but with the 7th chords so thatVVVV you can hear the difference:VVVV 4 &4 7(chord I7) 7(chord I7) 7(chord I7) 7(chord I7) &4 CVVVV CV VVV CVVVV CVVVV 4 VVVV V VVV VVVV VVVV &4 VVVV V VVV VVVV VVVV
F7(chord IV7) F7(chord IV7) C7(chord I7) C7(chord I7) & VVVV VVVV VVVV VVVV & VVVV VVVV VVVV VVVV & VVVV VVVV VVVV VVVV G7(chord V7) F7 (chord IV7) C7(chord I7) G7(chord V7) & & VVVV VVVV VVVV VVVV VVVVR VVVV VVVV VVVV & VVVV VVVV VVVV VVVV MUSIC www.dsmusic.com Page 1 © Copyright 2014 DS Music In blues music you will hear a lot of syncopation (off beat) and swing rhythms. With swing rhythms you will have even note values (for example a group of quavers). You elongate the first note and then slightly accent the second (almost like a dotted rhythm, but not quite as strict or straight). It is like you are playing triplets (squeezing 3 beats in to the time of 2) i.e. qaa z=[qp ]e You will see the marking for ‘swing’ (sometimes along with the triplet equation), ‘swing 8ths’, or ‘swung’ or similar instructions at the start of the piece to indicate this. A traditional way to accompany a 12 bar blues is to use these∑∑∑∑∑∑∑∑∑∑ swing rhythms (in this case swing 8ths) with alternating intervals of 5ths to 6ths which is called a ‘shuffle’.&
Here is an example in C...why don’t you have a go: 11
Swing qaa &z=[qp ]e ∑∑∑∑∑∑∑∑∑∑ (Repeat 12 bars as long as required)
(chord I) (chord I) (chord I) (chord I) C 21 C C C ° 4 4 &œ œ ∑∑∑∑∑∑∑∑∑∑œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ & œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
31 4 5 5 7 7 5 5 7 7 5 5 7 7 5 5 7 7 5 5 7 7 5 5 7 7 5 5 7 7 5 5 7 7 4 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 ¢⁄ & ∑∑∑∑∑∑∑∑∑∑
5 F (chord IV) F (chord IV) C (chord I) C (chord I) ° 41œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ & œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ & ∑∑∑∑∑∑∑∑∑∑œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
5 5 7 7 5 5 7 7 5 5 7 7 5 5 7 7 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 5 5 7 7 5 5 7 7 5 5 7 7 5 5 7 7 51 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 ¢⁄ & ∑∑∑∑∑∑∑∑∑∑ 9 G(chord V) F (chord IV) C (chord I) G(chord V) ° œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ & œ œ 61œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ & ∑∑∑∑∑∑∑∑∑∑ 7 7 9 9 7 7 9 9 5 5 7 7 5 5 7 7 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 5 5 7 7 5 5 7 7 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 5 5 7 7 5 5 7 7 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 ¢⁄ 71
Now you have& the basic∑∑∑∑∑∑∑∑∑∑ 12 bar blues progression under your belt why don’t you try having a go at improvising over the top. For this you would use the blues scale. The blues scale is very similar to the minor pentatonic scale, but with an additional lowered 5th note (lowered by half a step/semitone), or blues note. To see the blues chord progressions with their relevant blues scales in every key please see the the chart on the next page.
R
MUSIC www.dsmusic.com Page 2 © Copyright 2014 DS Music #w #w # # # ° w #w nw #w ∑∑ # ## & nw #w #w #w #w w #w 4 4 7 4 6 7 4 6 4 5 6 ∑∑ ¢⁄ 4 7 #w<#>w #w #w nw #w # # # ° nw #w #w #w ∑∑ # ## # & #w #w #w
11 11 14 11 13 14 11 13 11 12 13 ∑∑ ¢⁄ 11 14 w w ° w w bw nw ∑∑ # & bw nw w w #w #w ° w w w #w #w
9 9 12 9 11 12 9 11 9 10 11 ∑∑ ¢⁄ 9 12 #w #w # # ° w #w nw #w ∑∑ # ### & nw #w #w #w #w w #w 4 4 7 4 6 7 4 6 4 5 6 ∑∑ ¢⁄ 4 7 #w<#>w ° # #w #w nw #w # ## # & #w nw #w #w w ∑∑ # # # #w #w w bw nw w w ° w w w b b b & w w bw nw 11 ∑∑ b b b w 11 14 b 11 13 14 11 13 11 12 13 12 ∑∑ 11 14 12 15 ⁄ 12 14 15 ¢ 12 14 12 13 14 ∑∑ ¢⁄ 12 15 3 ° #w n w #w #w #w w & #w #w #w < > ∑∑ ww bw w ° w #w #w nw #w bw w b & bw w nw & # bw bw bw nw ∑∑ b bbb w w bw w 6 12 Bar Blues Chords
11 11 14 11 13 14 11 13 11 12 13 ∑∑ ¢⁄ 11 14 w bw ° bw bw ∫w bw b & ∫w bw bw bw ∑∑ bw bw bw 4 4 7 4 6 7 4 6 4 5 6 ∑∑ ¢⁄ 4 7 w # bww bw nw & w w w w
# # w w w # ## & # nw nw #w # w w w w w w w ° w w bw nw ∑∑ # & w nw w w # # w w w w w w #b # # # w w ww # ## & ww bnw 5 & nbw #nw 5 8 w w w 5 7 8 w n w 5 7 < >w 5 6 7 ∑∑ # # w w w ¢⁄ 5 8 # # # ### ## nww w #w # ## & w nbww w # & w w w w w ∫w bw bw bww ° b bw bw bw bw nw w b # °& bw bw ∫#w bw ww w w ∑∑b b ## # # nw w #w & bw w w##bw# #nw ∑∑ b b bbb &## # nw nww #w w ### & w w w 10 12 Bar Bluesw w Chordsw & Scales Chart for Guitar 10 13 12 w w 10 12 13 12 15 w 10 12 12 14 15 7 7 7 7 7 7 10 11 12 12 14 ∑∑ Chords# # I IV wV I IV V Blues Scale10 13 12 13 14 ∑∑ # # # w nw w ¢⁄ 12 15 &# # # #bnw w #w ¢⁄ # ## 3 & # nw nw #w # w w w 7 7 7 w w F Bb C w w w x x x x x ° w w bww #nw bw w b##b# w 3 1 1 1 1 & w #w w ww bw bw ∑∑∑∑b b b bw nw 2 w w b bw F #bb# w bw ww 2 w bw bw b#w# nw & # # w w n w 3 4 3 4 3 4 w # # w < >ww # 17 & w nw 1 4 nw7 w 7 #w7 7 10 wF wBb wC 17 39 104 w 17 39 ∑∑ 17 28 39 ∑∑ w
9 9 12 9 11 12 9 11 9 10 11 ∑∑ ¢⁄ 9 12 ∫w b w ° ∫w bw ∫w bw b b & ∫w bw ∫w bw ∑∑ b b b w ∫w bw
7 7 10 7 9 10 7 9 7 8 9 ∑∑ ¢⁄ 7 10 #w #w # # ° w #w nw #w ∑∑ # ### & nw #w #w #w #w w #w 4 4 7 4 6 7 4 6 4 5 6 ∑∑ ¢⁄ 4 7 # nw #w #w<#>w ° # #w #w w #### # & #w #w nw #w w ∑∑ # # #w bw nw w w ° w w w b bw nw w 11 ∑∑ b b b & w w 11 14 b b b w 11 13 14 11 13 11 12 13 ∑∑ 11 14 12 12 15 ¢⁄ 12 14 15 12 14 12 13 14 ∑∑ ⁄ 12 15 3 ¢° # n w #w #w #w & #w #w #w w < > ∑∑ w #w #w nw #w w ° # bw bw nw bw ∑∑ bb b & w bw 6 b b bw nw bw 6 9 bw bw 6 8 9 w 6 8 6 7 8 1 ∑∑ 6 9 1 4 ⁄ 1 3 4 ¢ 1 3 1 2 3 ∑∑ ¢⁄ 1 4 bw nw w w ° w w w w b & w w bw nw w ∑∑ w bw bw nw b w b ° bw bw bw ∑∑ bbbb b & bw bw nw 10 b bw bw 10 13 12 Bar Blues Chords & Scales Chart for Guitar 10 12 13 10 12 6 10 11 12 ∑∑ 7 7 7 7 7 7 6 9 Chords I IVw V I IV V Blues Scale10 13 6 8 9 w bw w ¢⁄ # 6 8 bww w nw 6 7 8 ∑∑ & w w 6 9 w n w ⁄ < >w 7 7 7 ¢ G C D w w b x x x ° bw w bw nw bw bw ∑∑ b b 1 1 1 & w w w bw ∫w bw ##nw w #w ° bw w bw nw bw bw b b b b G w bww w 2 2 2 3 & w bw bw ∫w #bw ∑∑ b b b b & w w 3 3 4 bw 3 w w w 3 6 w 3 5 6 G7 C7 D7 3 5 11 3 4 5 11 14 ∑∑ 3 6 11 13 14 ⁄ # 11 13 # w nww w ¢ 11 12# 13 ∑∑ #b nww ww #w 11 14 b# &b b bww ww nww ¢⁄ b bb & ww bww ww # w nw bw w & bw w nw ° w bw w b b b w w b7 7 b7 bw ∑∑ b b w n w A Db E & bw w bw nw ∫w bw bw bw # < >w x x x x ° w # bw bw bw ∑∑ # ww w nww 4 1 1 1 1 4 1 1 1 & ∫w# #bw bw #b ww nww w w bw b# 8 & b nww bww #w 2 w b b b &b b bw w w 2 b b b b 8 11 A ##nww w #w 8 10 11 w ww w 3 3 4 3 4 # 4 ww bw w 8 10 4 7 & w 8 9 10 4 6 7 ∑∑ w 7 w7 w 7 wAb Dwb Eb 8 11 4 6 w ¢⁄ 4 5 6 ∑∑ #b## w bw w ⁄ 4 7 # ## &b#bb bw nw nww ¢ bb#bb #b &# b nw nw #w #b# & # nw w #w # w w w w w 7 7 7 # # w w A D E # # w w # b # bw w nw x x x ° # # w bw nw &b#bb#b nwww ∫ww #w & bb#bb #b w w w ∑∑ &# # b ww nww w 1 1 w w bw#b#bnw ww ww w 2 3 2 w # A & # nw nw #w 2 3 # w w w 5 w w 5 8 # A7 D7 wE7 # 5 7 8 #b # # nww w #w # # # 5 7 ∑∑ b# b#b ∫www nww bw 5 # 6# # 7 & b# b b ww ∫w w 5 8 # R ## # w w w ¢⁄ ## # & w nw ww # nw w #w MUSIC www.dsmusic.comw Page 6 © Copyright 2014 DS Musicbw # ## # w nw w bw ∫w bw bw & # # #bnw w #w ° bw bw bw b # # ww w w & bw bw #∫w# #bw ∑∑ # ## nww w #w bw # ## & w nw w w w 10 w w 10 13 bw nw b 10 12 13 bbw w ww 10 12 & w bw 10 11 12 ∑∑ # # # nw w
9 9 12 9 11 12 9 11 9 10 11 ∑∑ ¢⁄ 9 12 w # bww bw nw & w w w w
# # w w w # ## & # nw nw #w # w w w w w # ## w w w # ## & # w nw ww # # nw w #w w w bw nw w w # w w w b #### w w w ° w #b#w# #nw w ∑∑ b bb b & # nww w #w & w w # b b w nw w 12 12 15 12 14 15 12 14 # # # nw w #w 12# #13 # 14 ∑∑ # # w w 12 15 # # & # ww nbwww w # # 3 bwww ww nw ¢⁄ & w ww w