1st August 2008 - by Logan N Young
How to Play the 12 Bar Blues on a Guitar
The most popular form of blues is undoubtedly the 12 bar blues.
12 bars are used in the chord progression, with each bar or
measure being four beats long. The 12 bar blues are said to
have originated in African music but have become very much a
part of Western music.
Learning The Formula
Most commonly a progression of 1st, 4th and 5th chords is used
in the 12 bar blues. Let us say that you are using the key
C.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
C D E F G A B
1 = C the tonic chord
4 = F the subdominant chord
5 = G the dominant chord
These three chords can be major, minor or seventh chords
depending upon the music you have selected.
For a blues in C, the chords C, F and G are played.
Let us consider 12 bar blues in C
The first four bars section comprises of four 1st chords
C///C///C///C///
The / represents the beat indicating that each chord is played
once for every beat.
The second four bar section comprises of two 4th chords of
followed by two 1st chords.
F///F///C///C///
The third four bar section comprises of one bar of the 5th
chord, one bar of the 4th chord, one bar of the 1st chord and
one bar of the 5th chord.
G///F///C///G///
When played in full the 12 bar blues in C is as follows
C///C///C///C///
F///F///C///C///
G///F///C///G///
You will be playing four bars of the 1st chord, followed by two
bars of the 4th chord, then another two bars of the 1st chord,
one 5th chord, one 4th chord, one 1st chord and one 5th
chord.
The dominant seventh chord can be used instead for all the
chords.
C7///C7///C7///C7///
F7///F7///C7///C7///
G7///F7///C7///G7///
At first you should play the 12 bar blues slowly, until you can
play it without confusion. Each bar has to have four beats and
must have a steady rhythm. The 12 bar blues are used in jazz,
country and rock music, so if you have any ambition to play
well, learning the 12 bar blues is a must. If you learn the
progression you will be able to play it rather easily as it
involves only three chords. Once you have perfected the 12 bar
blues you can play with other musicians without much
difficulty.
You can try out variations such as placing emphasis on the 2nd
and 4th beat of each bar giving your music a rock twist. These
are a few tips to help you understand the basics of the 12 bar
blues. If you are still in doubt you can consult a qualified
professional to give you lessons and help you out. There are
many websites that provide useful information lending a hand to
novices who need help.
Once you have understood the basics you can try out various
combinations and have a great time experimenting with your
guitar. Learning can be fun and enjoyable once you understand
the lessons. Be diligent, practice hard and persevere, and soon
you will be playing the 12 bar blues without any uncertainty or
doubt.
Article Source: http://www.megamusicsite.com
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