It has been used since the inception of the genre and appears in almost every iconic blues song ever written. The twelve-bar blues (or blues changes) is one of the most prominent chord progressions in popular music.The blues progression has a distinctive form in lyrics, phrase, chord structure, and duration.In its basic form, it is predominantly based on the I, IV, and V chords of a key. A basic twelve bar blues is made of 3 chords. It is a 12 bar blues with a V7 to bVI7 to V7 turnaround, a signature of this tune. Once you know a blues scale, the next step is to play some melodies over a 12 bar blues chord progression. The Blues is one of the most common forms in jazz music and is essential to know for a competent jazz musician. The tradition of jazz is steeped in the blues and certainly evolved from this language. Close X: Thank you for trying the 8notes.com Audio Playback You have reached your limit of audio playback for today. The signature bass line … “All Blues” was written by Miles Davis for his 1959 best-selling record, “Kind Of Blue”. 12 Bar-Blues Chords in All Natural Keys. Standard 12 bar blues Playalong Jam Track . The blues has been adopted by many different styles of … A 12-bar blues is a specific sequence of chords. I have this lead sheet in concert Bb, as this is a popular blues key in jazz. This blues form is a basic 12 bar blues, utilizing only three chords: the I7, IV7, and the V chord. Although for jazz and bebop, this progression is often embellished with more complex chords. Please subscribe for unlimited playback Individual Subscriptions: Click here for more info on subscriptions. This style works so well because it's built from the most fundamental chords; the I, IV, and V chord. In the key of E it would be E(root), A(the 4th) and B (the 5th). Take some time to memorize this chord progression, because this is important to know! The 12 bar blues is the structure upon which blues music is built. The 1st(root), the 4th, and the 5th chords of the major scale. Here is the structure of the basic blues progression: Mastery of the blues and rhythm changes are "critical elements for building a jazz repertoire". The blues is also such a rich great sounding form of music we all love but from a learning standpoint there will be less for you to have to remember. Chords are usually identified in roman numerals I-IV-V. Make sure to listen to the original recording and consider the arrangement. Its 12 bars (12 measures) -- not 12 BEATS -- usually played in 4/4 time so each measure has 4 beats -- so total 48 beats: Lets say we're in the key of A, where |A / / /| means "play an A chord for 4 beats (1-2-3-4)". How to Play a Twelve-bar Blues… It provides the framework for the blues and will help you learn a wide variety of blues songs, as well as jam confidently with other musicians. 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