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Blues Rythm & Progression

This is not meant to be a full introduction into the blues which could infact fill a book (a rather good place for beginners is the "Eric Clapton Slowhand Blues Guitar" page. Dig through that, play around and then come back here and read on :) (-->take me there) This page aims to give quick reference to essential stuff and tie up lose ends. Some of these tables may be worth printing out for example. Further down there is some soloing stuff and a couple of turnarouds and lead guitar & bass licks.

Basics & Rythm


  Blues in E 
  Notation: 4#
  Intervals
    I (tonic)       -->  E
    IV(subdominant) -->  A
    V (dominant)    -->  B
	
  Classic 12bar blues progression
    |  E7  |  E7  |  E7  |  E7  |  
    |  A7  |  A7  |  E7  |  E7  |
    |  B7  |  A7  |  E7  |  B7  |
  Quick change 12bar blues
    |  E7  |  A7  |  E7  |  E7  |  
    |  A7  |  A7  |  E7  |  E7  |
    |  B7  |  A7  |  E7  |  B7  |
  8bar blues progression
    |  E7  |  B7  |  E7  |  A7  |  
    |  E7  |  B7  |E7 A7 |E7 B7 |

  Blues in B 
  Notation:  5#
  Intervals
    I (tonic)       -->  B
    IV(subdominant) -->  E
    V (dominant)    -->  F#
	
  Classic 12bar blues progression
    |  B7  |  B7  |  B7  |  B7  |  
    |  E7  |  E7  |  B7  |  B7  |
    |  F#7 |  E7  |  B7  |  F#7 |
  Quick change 12bar blues
    |  B7  |  E7  |  B7  |  B7  |  
    |  E7  |  E7  |  B7  |  B7  |
    |  F#7 |  E7  |  B7  |  F#7 |
  8bar blues progression
    |  B7  |  F#7 |  B7  |  E7  |  
    |  B7  |  F#7 |B7 E7 |B7 F#7|

Different Chord Shapes


  E7 Chords
  e':--0---0-------(0)---4---7--(0)-(7)--7---10------- 
  b :--3---0--(3)--(0)---3---5---5---9---x---9---12--- 
  g :--1---1---4----4----4---7---7---7---7---9---9----  
  e :--2---0---2----0---(2)--6---6---9---6---9---12---   
  A :--2---2---2----5------------7---7---7-------11--- 
  E :--0---0---0----0-----------(0)-------------------     

  B7 Chords
  e':-2---2-----------5-------7---7---12--------------
  b :-0---0---4---0---4---7---7---10--10-------------- 
  g :-2---2---2---2---4---4---8---8---11--------------  
  e :-1---1---4---4---4---7---7---7---9---------------   
  A :-0---2---2---2-------6---9---9-------------------
  E :-------------------------7---7-------------------     

  A7 Chords
  e':--0---3---3---5---5---9-------------------------- 
  b :--2---2---5---5---8---8-------------------------- 
  g :--0---2---0---6---6---9--------------------------  
  e :--2---2---5---5---5--(7)-------------------------
  A :--0---0---0---7---7------------------------------ 
  E :--------------5---5------------------------------