The 12 Bar Form

The blues, unlike most popular music, doesn’t have different sections like a verse, chorus, bridge, etc.  While some blues songs include these elements, the blues itself is a cycling progression.  The 12 bar blues is arguably the most common blues form.  It consists of 12 bars, 4 beats each, and uses the I, IV, and V chords.  It is important to note that the blues is typically comprised of all Dominant 7 chords, but it can also be played with simple major chords, power chords, or the blues shuffle as I demonstrate in the video. 

There are two main versions of a 12-bar blues: the quick change and the slow change.   The difference between these two isn’t tempo - as you might think - but when you switch to the IV chord.  

In the slow change,  the IV chord isn’t introduced until the 5th bar.  In the quick change, the IV chord is introduced in the 2nd bar, and then it goes right back to the I chord in bar 3.  Besides that, the two forms are identical. 

Download the PDF for the charts written out. 

It is worth noting that many variations exist, but these are the most common example of a 12 bar blues.  Try them, and here they are written out for your reference.  

P.S. - If you are having trouble identifying the chord progressions, PLEASE go back and Look for “Playing In Key - What Does It Mean?” in Level 1.