What is the 12-bar blues chord sequence in C major?
Sarah Cherry
Published Mar 03, 2026
What is the 12-bar blues chord sequence in C major?
Basic 12 Bar Blues Form The C major scale consists of the following notes: C, D, E, F, G, A, B. So in the key of C: I7 = C7, IV7 = F7, V7 = G7. The basic 12 bar blues consists of the following: 4 measures of the I chord.
What is the order of the chords in a 12-bar blues progression?
The standard 12-bar blues progression has three chords in it – the 1 chord, the 4 chord, and then the 5 chord. In the key of E blues, the 1 chord is an E, the 4 chord is an A, and the 5 chord is a B. Let’s talk about blues rhythm.
What is the chord progression for a 12-bar blues in the key of G?
In whatever key you are in, 12-bar blues uses the same basic sequence of I, IV, and V chords. It is most easily thought of as three 4-bar sections – the first 4, the middle 4, and the last 4 bars. The first 4 bars just use the I chord – I, I, I, I. The middle 4 bars go IV, IV, I, I.
What is the chord progression for blues?
The standard 12-bar blues is a I-IV-V chord progression most typically divided into three four-bar segments. Blues progressions are almost exclusively played in 4/4 time and dominated by the root (I Chord), with the IV and V chords providing that extra bit of flavor to keep things interesting.
What is the 12-bar blues scale?
The 12 bar blues is a chord progression that consists of 12 bars, is usually in 4/4 time and is a staple for any blues artist. Generally, lead blues guitarists solo over this structure using a combination of the pentatonic minor and blues scales, whether they’re playing electric guitar or acoustic.
What are the 3 primary chords used in 12 Bar Blues?
The standard 12-bar blues progression contains three chords. These three chords are the 1 chord, the 4 chord, and the 5 chord. Since we’re in the key of E blues, the 1 chord is E, the 4 chord is A, and the 5 chord is a B.
What is the standard harmonic progression for the 12-bar blues form?
A 12-bar blues is divided into three four-bar segments. A standard blues progression, or sequence of notes, typically features three chords based on the first (written as I), fourth (IV), and fifth (V) notes of an eight-note scale.
How do you make a blues chord progression?
The blues progression uses chords I, IV and V of the key you are in. In the key of E, the I chord is E7, the IV chord is A7, and the V chord is B7. The I chord shares the same letter as the key itself (an E7 chord when we’re in the key of E).
What is the C major blues scale?
There are 6 blues scale notes plus the octave of the tonic note – a total of 7 notes. The C blues scale has 3 flats….1. C blues scale.
| Note no. | Note name |
|---|---|
| 1 | The 1st note of the C blues scale is C |
| 2 | The 2nd note of the C blues scale is Eb |
| 3 | The 3rd note of the C blues scale is F |
| 4 | The 4th note of the C blues scale is Gb |
What instruments are used in the 12 bar blues?
Chorus One (12-bar blues) 0:16 Armstrong plays the melody over a tonic chord, harmonized by Jimmy Strong on clarinet. On piano, Earl Hines plays the same chord on each beat, four beats to the bar.
How many beats in 12 bar blues?
Usually, a single baris divided into four beats; so a twelve-bar Blueswould be 12 x 4 = 48 beats. This twelve-bar structure is usually repeated three or four times, and each repeat is called a verse.
What are the main features of the 12 bar blues?
A 12-bar blues is divided into three four-bar segments. A standard blues progression, or sequence of notes, typically features three chords based on the first (written as I), fourth (IV), and fifth (V) notes of an eight-note scale.
What are the notes for 12 bar blues?
The 12 bar blues form consists of 12 bars or measures. It uses the I7, IV7, and V7 chords. Since these are all dominant chords they have some dissonant notes that are not in the key. For those who don’t know, the roman numerals represent the degree of the major scale.
