Wanting to know how to play the harmonica and keep hearing about the 12 bar blues? Confused? Don't worry, in this free lesson for beginners who are learning blues harmonica we will cover:
🥳 BONUS! Liam answers the question 'what is a 12 bar blues?' in a short recorded live Q&A video (stroll down or click here to see).
As a blues harmonica player, you simply NEED to understand the 12 bar blues. So let's get into it!
What is the 12 bar blues?
The 12 bar blues is a chord progression that spans 12 measures, or 'bars'. It is by far the most widely used form of blues structures - almost all the classic blues songs you know will use this structure.
The 12 bar blues is a simple structure to learn, making it an excellent starting point for harmonica players who want to explore blues music.
Structure of the 12 bar blues
The 12 bar blues follows a specific sequence of chords that repeats over and over.
Here's a diagram showing the 12 bar blues structure:
Chords used in the 12 bar blues
The chords in a 12 bar blues progression are denoted by Roman numerals. The three primary chords used are the I, IV, and V chords (in fancy musical terms that's the tonic, subdominant, and dominant chords, respectively).
I Chord: This is the home chord, providing a stable and resolved sound. In the key of G, the I chord is G.
IV Chord: The subdominant chord adds tension and movement. In the key of G, the IV chord is C.
V Chord: The dominant chord creates anticipation and leads back to the tonic. In the key of G, the V chord is D.
The basic structure can be represented as follows:
Bars 1-4 (I Chord): The progression begins with the I chord. For example, in the key of G, the I chord would be G.
Bars 5-6 (IV Chord): Transition to the IV chord for the fifth and sixth bars. In the key of G, this would be a C chord.
Bars 7-8 (I Chord): Return to the I chord for the seventh and eighth bars.
Bar 9 (V Chord): Move to the V chord in the ninth bar. In the key of G, this would be a D chord.
Bar 10 (IV Chord): Bar 10 is the IV chord again.
Bars 11-12 (I Chord): Conclude the progression by returning to the I chord for the eleventh and twelfth bars.
To recap, let's have another look at that structure:
🥳 BONUS! In this recorded live Q&A video Liam answers the question 'what is a 12 bar blues?'
👍 You've done it! Now you know what the 12 bar blues is and you're well on your way to knowing how to play the harmonica.
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