Blues Guitar
12 Bar Blues Progressions
Blues guitar provides a solid foundation to learn to play tunes and to follow a song form. Blues is a style which developed in the 19th and 20th centuries based on the mood or feeling that accompanied the black experience in America. Blues provides a basis for rock music and some types of jazz. The variety and types of blues music in the world is truly astounding.
For blues to be blues, certain voicings (chords) and rhythms need to be sounded. We will explore this topic and play the blues in this lesson. We will focus on providing accompaniment. Let's get to it.
Our first 12 bar blues progression
The above progression is a very basic from of the 12 bar blues.
What is a bar?
The term bar is another word for measure. Bar and measure both mean a grouping of beats. In the example above, the beat grouping is 4. There are 4 beats per measure (bar) in this exercise. Bars are created or separated by bar lines (the vertical lines on the staff).
What are the slash marks?
The slash marks are a visual substitute for the quarter note (in 4/4 time). We will elaborate on the rhythm below.
So in our example, we have 12 bars of 4 beats. 12 bar blues is a very, very popular form for playing blues guitar. We repeat these 12 bars over and over. At first, to get the changes, start with quarter note down strumming. We will explore the blues rhythm in a minute.
What about the Roman Numerals?
The above progression is a blueprint or a template for the blues. We can play the progression in any key (any of the 12 tones as the I). Here is a chart for playing the One, Four, and Five chords (I, IV, and V) in the guitar's most popular keys:
We will use the above 12 bar blues progression as a template to make changes. Our first change is measure 10. Going forward, we will keep any previous changes.
Next, changing bar 10 to the IV chord
With this change, the 10th measure is the IV chord rather than the V.
This creates a bit more movement.
Next, changing bar 12 to the V chord
With this change, the 12th measure is the V chord rather than the I.
This gets us on the path of the turnaround.
What is a turnaround?
A turnaround is a creative and common way to get back around to the head, or the beginning. It involves a harmonic movement which leads the player and listener back to the beginning.
The Quick Four or Quick Change
With this change, we are plugged right into one of THE most common 12 bar progressions, the Quick Change or Quick Four, titled for the quickness which the IV chord arrives (measure 2).
Which progression do I use?
As we just mentioned, the Quick Four is pretty common. At parties, we see the Quick 4 the most (but even with a further alteration - the complete turnaround).
It is important to listen and follow the changes of blues tunes. Blues musicians do not use only one type of 12 bar, as this might become monotonous for the listener.
Therefore, blues musicians mix up the harmonic progressions, often and rightfully based on the melody.
