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Twelve-bar blues

The twelve-bar blues (or blues changes) is one of the most prominent chord progressions in popular music. The blues progression has a distinctive form in lyrics, phrase, chord structure, and duration. In its basic form, it is predominantly based on the I, IV, and V chords of a key. Mastery of the blues and rhythm changes are "critical elements for building a jazz repertoire".[1]

For the Scott Weiland album, see 12 Bar Blues (album). For the Patrick Neate novel, see Twelve Bar Blues (novel).

Background[edit]

The blues originated from a combination of work songs, spirituals, and early southern country music.[2] The music was passed down through oral tradition. It was first written down by W. C. Handy, an African American composer and band leader. Its popularity led to the creation of "race records" and the popularity of blues singers like Bessie Smith and Ma Rainey.[3] The style of music heard on race records was later called "rhythm and blues" (R & B). As the music became more popular, more people wanted to perform it. General patterns that existed in the blues were formalized, one of these being the 12-bar blues.[2]

Chord notation in the :[4]

key of C

The basic progression for a 12-bar blues may be represented in several ways. It is shown in its simplest form, without the common "quick change", turnarounds, or seventh chords. For variations, see the following section.

Variations[edit]

Shuffle blues[edit]

In the original form, the dominant chord continued through the tenth bar; later on, the V–IV–I–I "shuffle blues" pattern became standard in the third set of four bars:[6]

Melodic line[edit]

As the chords of a 12-bar blues follow a form, so does the melodic line. The melodic line might just be the melody of the piece or it might also include lyrics. The melody and lyrics frequently follow an AA'B form, meaning one phrase is played then repeated (perhaps with a slight alteration), then something new is played.[14] This pattern is frequently used in the blues and in musical genres that have their roots in the blues.[15]

Eight-bar blues

Sixteen-bar blues

Bird changes

Benward, Bruce; Saker, Marilyn Nadine (2003). Music: In Theory and Practice, Vol. I (7th ed.). . ISBN 978-0-07-294262-0.

McGraw-Hill

Covach, John (2005). "Form in Rock Music: A Primer". In Stein, Deborah (ed.). Engaging Music: Essays in Music Analysis. . ISBN 0-19-517010-5.

Oxford University Press

di Perna, Alan (1991). "Jazzin' the Blues with Charles Brown". Musician, issues 147–152. Amordian Press.

Gerow, Maurice; (1984). A Study of Jazz. William C. Brown. ISBN 978-0-07-294262-0. Cited in Baker, Robert M. (2005)

Tanner, Paul

Gridley, Mark C. (2000). Jazz Styles: Jazz Classics Compact Disc. Sony Music.  0-13-012693-4.

ISBN

(2002). Beginning Delta Blues Guitar. Alfred Publishing. ISBN 978-0-7390-3006-6.

Jackson, Fruteland

Kernfeld, Barry, ed. (2007). "Blues progression". The New Grove Dictionary of Jazz. Vol. 2. .

Oxford University Press

McCumber, Dennis (2006). . Alfred Publishing. ISBN 9780739038499.

The Total Blues Guitarist

(1990). Studying Popular Music. Open University Press. ISBN 0-335-15275-9.

Middleton, Richard

Spitzer, Peter (2001). Jazz Theory Handbook. . ISBN 978-0-7866-5328-7.

Mel Bay

Thomas, John (2002). Voice Leading for Guitar: Moving Through the Changes. . ISBN 0-634-01655-5.

Berklee Press

(1989). Origins of the Popular Style. Clarendon Press. ISBN 0-19-316121-4. Cited in Middleton (1990)

van der Merwe, Peter