The 12 bar blues
I7 | I7 | I7 | I7 | IV7 | IV7 | I7 | I7 | V7 | IV7 | I7 | V7
The standard form: four bars of I, two of IV, two of I, then V, IV, I and the turnaround to V, which sends it round again.
Guitar · chord progressions
The 12 bar blues
The 12 bar blues is a chord progression of twelve bars built on the I, IV and V chords of a key, usually played as dominant sevenths: four bars of I, two of IV, two of I, then V, IV, I and V. In A, that is A7, D7 and E7. Pick any key and press Play to hear it on guitar.
Style
Key
Chords
Colours
homehome, minorthe pullthe doorcinematicsoft fall
What each chord does in its key. Press a chord to hear it and read more.The quick change
I7 | IV7 | I7 | I7 | IV7 | IV7 | I7 | I7 | V7 | IV7 | I7 | V7
The same, with IV in the second bar: a quick visit to IV before settling on I.
The minor blues
i7 | i7 | i7 | i7 | iv7 | iv7 | i7 | i7 | VI7 | V7 | i7 | V7
The blues in a minor key: minor sevenths on i and iv, and the ♭VI7 stepping down to V7.
The 8 bar blues
I7 | V7 | IV7 | IV7 | I7 | V7 | I7 | V7
A shorter blues form of eight bars, common in gospel-tinged blues.
With a I–V turnaround
I7 | I7 | I7 | I7 | IV7 | IV7 | I7 | I7 | V7 | IV7 | I7 IV7 | I7 V7
The 12 bar blues with a two-bar turnaround, I–IV then I–V, that pushes back to the top.
The 12 bar blues in triads
I | I | I | I | IV | IV | I | I | V | IV | I | V
The same form with plain major chords: the rock and roll version.
The minor blues, quick change
i7 | iv7 | i7 | i7 | iv7 | iv7 | i7 | i7 | V7 | iv7 | i7 | V7
A minor blues with iv in the second bar and V7 in the turnaround.
The 16 bar blues
I7 | I7 | I7 | I7 | I7 | I7 | I7 | I7 | IV7 | IV7 | I7 | I7 | V7 | IV7 | I7 | V7
The 12 bar blues with eight bars on I at the start instead of four: room for a longer verse.
The 8 bar blues, second form
I7 | I7 | IV7 | IV7 | I7 | V7 | I7 | V7
Another eight-bar blues: two bars of I, two of IV, then I and V twice.
The turnaround
I7 IV7 | I7 V7
The last two bars of a blues on their own: I–IV, I–V, the move that sends the form round again.
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The chords
The chords of the the 12 bar blues in its key above, as the Library shows them: strum, arpeggiate, or play them up the neck.
How to count the 12 bar blues
Count four beats to a bar, and the twelve bars in three lines of four. The first line stays on I. The second goes to IV for two bars and back to I. The third is the turnaround: V, IV, I, and V again to lead back to the top. Most blues songs repeat this form for every verse and solo.
The best keys for the blues on guitar
E and A are the classic guitar keys for the blues, because their I, IV and V chords use the open low strings: E7, A7 and B7 in E; A7, D7 and E7 in A. G, C and D are next. Pick a key above to hear it and see its three chords.
What is the turnaround?
The last bar or two of the form, which leads back to the start. In the simplest blues it is a bar of V7; players often fill it with a short run, or a I–V or I–VI–ii–V change.
What is a quick change?
A 12 bar blues that goes to IV in the second bar and back to I in the third, instead of staying on I for four bars.
Why are the chords sevenths?
The blues uses dominant seventh chords on all three degrees, I7, IV7 and V7, even though only V7 belongs to the major key. The flattened seventh is part of the sound of the blues itself.
More: common chord progressions, the jazz blues, chords in every key.