The 12-Bar Blues Progression

 

Feb. 5, 2023, Updates

Blues Progression Songbook_(Display)

Blues Progression Songbook_(Print)

 

Feb. 17, 2023

A number of new or updated songs for this songbook plus updated songbooks (above). The new songs are:

Here are all 47 song sheets, compressed: Blues Songbook_New_2023-02-17.zip

There is one new song that is not included in the songbooks due to its length. An example of "spoken blues":

A couple of new songs that was created or identified after the songbooks were compiled:

Word processing files for all the blues progression songs songs:

An additional 40+ songs have been identified for future inclusion.

 

Sept. 12

Six more Beatles songs:

Here are the word processing files for these songs: Sept 12 Word Processing.zip. New songbooks are pending.

 

Sept. 6

Twelve more songs that have their basis in the blues progressions, 11 of which are Beatles songs:

And one from Loggins & Messina:

Here are new songsbooks and compressed files containing the PDFs and word processing files for all these songs:

Sept. 5

Some additional songs include:

Compressed Files:

Some of the Beatles songs in blues progressions (15 are still pending)

The existing songs have been compiled into a Songbook. Hopefully no changes will occur after page 112 of the Display Edition (113 of the Print Edition), although the newest Beatles songs need to be carefully checked (again).

There is also An Additional List of Blues-Based Songs with links to YouTube. This list excludes songs already on the main page; an update with minor blues songs is anticipated.

 

August 14

At least four of Brian Wilson's songs have their basis in the 12-bar progression:

 

August 10

Theresa Miller proposed and drafted a tutorial for the UkeQUESTors and Senior Center ukulele groups in Huntsville, Ala., in August 2022. In this paper, she discusses some of the aspects of the 12-bar blues and includes a number of songs in that format.

The tutorial and songbook has been updated (individual songs are listed below):

Theresa found a video excerpt of "Sweet Potato Fry Blues", and the song sheets have been updated with the link:

Finally, here are the compressed files containing all the PDF files and those word processing files that are available as of August 10th (MS Word and Open Document formats):

My previously prepared notes on Blues Progressions have been moved to the bottom of this page.

 

= = = = = = = = = =

 

Individual Songs

Some of the individual songs in Theresa's tutorial and songbook, Twelve-Bar Blues, include:

All of the songs that we have that are based on the 12-bar blues, including 8-bar, 16-bar, 24-bar, and 32-bar blues forms, etc:

Additional songs are pending.

 

The Blues Progressions

The twelve-bar blues (or "blues changes") is one of the most prominent chord progressions in popular music. At its most basic, the 12-Bar Blues Progression is a three-chord progression ― the I, IV, and V ― played in 12 measures ("bars") in common time (4/4). While it has a distinctive form in lyrics, phrase, chord structure, and duration, it also offers a great deal of flexibility allowing for considerable freedom of expression. Mastery of the 12-Bar Blues is considered a critical element in the education of a musician.

I

I

I

I

IV

IV

I

I

V

V

I

I

In the key of C, the pattern is:

C

C

C

C

F

F

C

C

G

G

C

C

The I, IV and V chords are also referred to as the Tonic, Subdominant and Dominant chords; the Dominant Seventh (V7) chord is often substituted for the Dominant (V) as a "passing" chord:

C

C

C

C7

F

F7

C

C7

G

G7

C

C

For some common keys, the appropriate chords are:

I

IV

V

V7

C

F

G

G7

D

G

A

A7

E

A

B

B7

F

Bb

C

C7

G

C

D

D7

A

D

E

E7

Bb

Eb

F

F7

The 12-bar blues form first appeared in the published works of American composer W. C. Handy in his pivotal compositions 'Memphis Blues," "Saint Louis Blues" and "Beale Street Blues," published between 1912 and 1917. Mr. Handy was publishing the music that he first heard in the Mississippi Delta (the Delta Blues), allowing a regional music form to become a national and international hit. Mr. Handy was a native of Florence, Alabama, and there is an annual festival held in his honor.

Use of the 12-bar blues form became widespread in American music in the 20th century, spreading the form from the blues to folk, pop, country, and rock-and-roll music. Songs from "Tin Pan Alley" and show tunes from the 20s through the 50s often used a blues progression form, such as the 32-bar blues. In the last half of the 20th century, a number of songs written by B. B. King, Little Richard and Chuck Berry are based on the 12-bar blues, including Berry's "Johnny B Goode" and "Rock And Roll Music." These artists have been cited as a major influence to many of the most important acts of that time including Elvis Presley, the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, the Beach Boys, Carl Perkins, Eric Clapton, Electric Light Orchestra, David Bowie, the Yardbirds, the Kinks, Buddy Holly, and the Grateful Dead.

Brian Wilson, John Lennon, and Paul McCartney all wrote in the 12-bar blues format or a variant, and all were also influenced by the Bluess style King, Little Richard and Berry. According to Aaron Krerowicz, almost 15% of the Beatles music was based on the 12-bar blues or one of its variants; of these 27 songs, 15 were original compositions and 12 were covers.

Many variations are possible including adjusting the length of sections to create 8-bar blues, 16-bar blues, and 32-bar blues, plus combinations such as using the 12-bar format in the verses and 8-bar format in the chorus or bridge, etc.

Two prominent variations involve the IV chord.

The common "quick to four" or "quick-change" ("quick four") variation uses the subdominant chord in the second measure of the first line:

I

IV

I

I

IV

IV

I

I

V

V

I

I

In the “Shuffle blues” pattern, the IV chord is substituted in the second measure of the third line, a pattern that has become a standard in modern music:

I

I

I

I

IV

IV

I

I

V

IV

I

I

When these two are combined, we see one of the most familiar form of the 12-bar blues, frequently encountered in contemporary music over the last fifty years:

I

IV

I

I

IV

IV

I

I

V

IV

I

I

 

When one section leads to another section, the last chord is often changed from the Tonic (I) to the Dominant (V) or Dominant Seventh (V7), creating the "Turnaround":

I

I

I

I

IV

IV

I

I

V

V

I

V7

Numerous variations have been created as this music form spread, increased in popularity, and began to influence other music forms such as Dixieland, Jazz, Swing, Rhythm and Blues, Rock and Roll, and others.

Other regional blues styles include British blues, Canadian blues, Chicago blues, Hill country blues, Louisiana blues, New Orleans blues, Swamp blues, Memphis blues, Piedmont blues, Texas blues, and West Coast blues. See: Blues Styles, Wikipedia.

For additional information, see:

Return to Music & More Main Page