Skip to content
Notifications
Clear all

12 Bar Blues Help

25 Posts
10 Users
0 Likes
2,466 Views
(@anonymous)
Illustrious Member
Joined: 17 years ago
Posts: 8184
Topic starter  

I decided to try the 12 bar blues, and work it into music I like. I decided to post what I had so far to see if I'm on the right track. I know it's not 12 bars yet but wanted to see if it was 12 bar blues.

D|-0-0--0~0-0-0--0--|---------------------|-------------0-0-0-0~0-|-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-|
D|-0-0--0/4-4-4--4--|---------------------|-------------0-0-0-0/4-|-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-|
A|-0-0--0~0-0-0--0--|---------------------|--7-7--7--7--0-0-0-0~0-|-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-|
D|-0-0--0/4-4-4--4--|-0-0-0-0/4-4-4-4-4-4-|--4-4--4--4--0-0-0-0/4-|-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-|
A|-0-0--0~0-0-0--0--|-0-0-0-0~0-0-0-0-0-0-|--0-0--0--0--0-0-0-0~0-|-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-|
D|-0-0--0~0-0-0--0--|-0-0-0-0~0-0-0-0-0-0-|--0-0--0--0--0-0-0-0~0-|-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-|

D|-0-0-0-0-0-0--5-5-5--|--0-0-0-0~0-0-0-0--|--7-7-7--7--7-7-7-7-0--|--0-0--0--0~0-0-0-0--|
D|-0-0-0-0-0-0--5-5-5--|--0-0-0-0~0-0-0-0--|--7-7-7--7--7-7-7-7-0--|--0-0--0--0/4-4-4-4--|
A|-2-2-2-2-0-0--5-5-5--|--0-5-5-5~5-5-5-5--|--7-7-7--7--7-7-7-7-0--|--0-0--0--0~0-0-0-0--|
D|-0-0-0-0-0-0--5-5-5--|--0-0-0-0~0-0-0-0--|--7-7-7--7--7-7-7-7-0--|--0-0--0--0/4-4-4-4--|
A|-2-2-2-2-0-0--5-5-5--|--0-5-5-52-2-2-2--|--7-7-7--7--7-7-7-7-0--|--0-0--0--0~0-0-0-0--|
D|-5-5-5-5-0-0--5-5-5--|--0-0-0-0~0-0-0-0--|--7-7-7--7--7-7-7-7-0--|--0-0--0--0~0-0-0-0--|

Is that 12 bar blues? Is it ok to make an open strum or two so I have a bit more time to change chords?


   
Quote
(@artlutherie)
Noble Member
Joined: 20 years ago
Posts: 1157
 

So uh do you know what the chords are in your tuning? Typically you'll go for a I-IV-V sort of progression with a 7th thrown in at the right time(Here's an article from Arjen that might explain it better 12 Bar Blues, with that being said I can't quite figure out your chords I'm assuming an open strum would be a D power chord?

Chuck Norris invented Kentucky Fried Chicken's famous secret recipe, with eleven herbs and spices. But nobody ever mentions the twelfth ingredient: Fear!
ChuckNorrisFactsdotCom


   
ReplyQuote
(@greybeard)
Illustrious Member
Joined: 21 years ago
Posts: 5840
 

First of all, I count only 8 bars, so you're a bit short, there.
12 bar blues has 2 popular versions:
I I I I
IV IV I I
V IV I V

I IV I I
IV IV I I
V IV I V

You play one bar of each. The last bar (V) is a simple turnaround (there are plenty of more fancy ones), used throughout the song. To end the song, you would put in a I-chord, instead, to indicate, to the listener, that's it's all over (the V-chord leaves a feeling of incompleteness, which is resolved by the I-chord at the beginning of the next 12 bars).
Start simple. Start with 4/4 time and straighforward quarter notes - no shuffle, etc. and we'll take the key of Em (blues is usually played in minor keys) - so we're looking for the following chords Am (I), Dm (IV), Em (V), so your first 12 bar style would be
Am Am Am Am
Dm Dm Am Am
Em Dm Am Em

and the second:
Am Dm Am Am
Dm Dm Am Am
Em Dm Am Em

For Dm, you'd want Dm (I), Gm (IV), Am (V).

I started with nothing - and I've still got most of it left.
Did you know that the word "gullible" is not in any dictionary?
Greybeard's Pages
My Articles & Reviews on GN


   
ReplyQuote
(@thegrimm)
Estimable Member
Joined: 19 years ago
Posts: 119
 

If not using a shuffle (which drives my wife insane), what sort of strumming might you suggest as an alternative?


   
ReplyQuote
(@greybeard)
Illustrious Member
Joined: 21 years ago
Posts: 5840
 

If not using a shuffle (which drives my wife insane), what sort of strumming might you suggest as an alternative?
To a large degree, the blues is the shuffle. I didn't explain it in my reply, because I assumed that OWA knows what it is and it's also explained in Arjen's article, if I remember correctly.

I started with nothing - and I've still got most of it left.
Did you know that the word "gullible" is not in any dictionary?
Greybeard's Pages
My Articles & Reviews on GN


   
ReplyQuote
(@dogbite)
Illustrious Member
Joined: 19 years ago
Posts: 6348
 

excuse me for jumping in ate...but you guys play 12 bar blues a bit wacky.
blues in 12 bars use the chords I V and VII.
whats with the IV business?

12bars count...
I chord two bads
V chord two bars
I chord two bars
VII chord one bar
V chord one bar
and end on the I four beats.

http://www.soundclick.com/bands/pagemusic.cfm?bandID=644552
http://www.soundclick.com/couleerockinvaders


   
ReplyQuote
 lars
(@lars)
Noble Member
Joined: 18 years ago
Posts: 1120
 

Dogbite, I think you may be on the fretboard when you're thinking - right?
Fret 1 E
Fret 5 A
Fret 7 B

If you think scale instead
E is step I in a E scale
A is step IV
B is step V

Or maybe you usually play E blues with E B and D# ;)

...only thing I know how to do is to keep on keepin' on...

LARS kolberg http://www.facebook.com/sangerersomfolk


   
ReplyQuote
(@greybeard)
Illustrious Member
Joined: 21 years ago
Posts: 5840
 

Dogbite, what you may be thinking of is that the IV & V are very often played as Dominant 7 chords (IV7 & V7).

I started with nothing - and I've still got most of it left.
Did you know that the word "gullible" is not in any dictionary?
Greybeard's Pages
My Articles & Reviews on GN


   
ReplyQuote
(@dogbite)
Illustrious Member
Joined: 19 years ago
Posts: 6348
 

Dogbite, I think you may be on the fretboard when you're thinking - right?
Fret 1 E
Fret 5 A
Fret 7 B

If you think scale instead
E is step I in a E scale
A is step IV
B is step V

Or maybe you usually play E blues with E B and D# ;)

yes. I do mean the fretboard always, always always. that's the way I learned.
if the I chord is E then A is the V and B is the VII.

so now, with your explanation , I understand why I see the I, IV,V.
scale. of course.
still, it is an odd way to stating things.

http://www.soundclick.com/bands/pagemusic.cfm?bandID=644552
http://www.soundclick.com/couleerockinvaders


   
ReplyQuote
(@greybeard)
Illustrious Member
Joined: 21 years ago
Posts: 5840
 

Dogbite,
First of all, the first chord, in my example was A, not E. Secondly, you never refer to fret positions with roman numerals, that is reserved for chords.

I started with nothing - and I've still got most of it left.
Did you know that the word "gullible" is not in any dictionary?
Greybeard's Pages
My Articles & Reviews on GN


   
ReplyQuote
(@dogbite)
Illustrious Member
Joined: 19 years ago
Posts: 6348
 

everyone I know refers to fret position. I'll keep it that way off line.
here, I will keep in mind how the roman numerals are used.

happy?

http://www.soundclick.com/bands/pagemusic.cfm?bandID=644552
http://www.soundclick.com/couleerockinvaders


   
ReplyQuote
(@kingpatzer)
Noble Member
Joined: 19 years ago
Posts: 2171
 

A lot of great jazz 12-bar blues tunes are played with a swing beat 4-to-the-bar strumming.

Listen to some Freddie Green :)

"The music business is a cruel and shallow money trench, a long plastic hallway where thieves and pimps run free, and good men die like dogs. There's also a negative side." -- HST


   
ReplyQuote
 lars
(@lars)
Noble Member
Joined: 18 years ago
Posts: 1120
 

But Dogbite,
You can't tell a

799877 B
from a
779997 E
if you are only referring to fret numbers!?

OWA - I hope you've got some answers to your original question too. Not intending to ruin your thread :!:

...only thing I know how to do is to keep on keepin' on...

LARS kolberg http://www.facebook.com/sangerersomfolk


   
ReplyQuote
(@dogbite)
Illustrious Member
Joined: 19 years ago
Posts: 6348
 

let's get back to the thread....

in a 12 bar blues you have to have so many beats per measure.
a measure is a bar.

so count out how many beats (4/4 time) , add them up to 12 measures.

there are many fun versions of 12bar.
a turn around where you go from the VII ooops to the V for four beats down to the IV for four beats then back to the I.
other versions have you on the V for two beats.
listen to some blues from various parts of the country. Chicago style blues is different from southern blues.

http://www.soundclick.com/bands/pagemusic.cfm?bandID=644552
http://www.soundclick.com/couleerockinvaders


   
ReplyQuote
(@anonymous)
Illustrious Member
Joined: 17 years ago
Posts: 8184
Topic starter  

Ok, so for my tab, I need to:

1) Stick to quarter notes
2) Stick to common time
3) Use only one chord a measure
4) And use a minor key

(correct or add if I'm wrong on anything of this)

Here is an easier tab to read if that helps any:


   
ReplyQuote
Page 1 / 2