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Blues Basics

Blues Form, 7th Chords, Pulling Riffs out of Chords

“It’s 106 miles to Chicago, we’ve got a full tank of gas, half a

pack of cigarettes, it’s dark, and we’re wearing sunglasses.”

Elwood Blues, The Blues Brothers 1980

The Form of the Blues

The blues is a style of music but it is also a specific cycle of chords that fills 12

measures or bars hence the term 12-Bar Blues. The 12-Bar Blues in its most basic

form uses three main chords represented here in roman numerals. In whatever key

you are working with the three main chords for the blues are the I, IV, and V chords.

This combination of chords is one of the most commonly used progressions in a

variety of styles of music.

Basic 12-Bar Blues

Here is the basic 12-bar blues in the key of C.

Basic Blues in C

There are numerous variations to this basic blues chord progression. One of the

most common variation substitutes the IV chord in the second measure. Also, it is

common to insert a V chord in the last measure of the progression to help for a

better transition when the form is repeated.

Objectives

• Learning the form of
  the blues.


• Learning common open
  & moveable forms for
  7th chords.


• Learning to hear the I,
  IV, & V chords by ear.


• Improvise riffs based on
  chord shapes.

Key Ideas

The blues is a 12-measure

chord progression.

The blues uses three main

chords--the I, the IV, and

the V chord in any key.

Listen to the bass note of

the chord to help

determine what it is.

When learning a new

riff...

• Learn the riff using
  proper fingering.


• Move it to different
  places on the neck.


• Experiment with
  different variations.

Session 1: Blues Basics

11 http://www.learnandmaster.com/bluesresources
Blues Guitar with Steve Krenz