Blues · Intermediate · minor key
Minor blues
i7 – i7 – i7 – i7 – iv7 – iv7 – i7 – i7 – ♭VI7 – V7 – i7 – V7 — Twelve bars of slow-burning minor blues.
Easiest guitar key: E minor
Chord shapes in E minor (standard tuning)
Using a different tuning? Open it in the Looper — it finds playable shapes for whatever tuning you choose.
How the chords work
Written in Roman numerals, this progression is i7 – i7 – i7 – i7 – iv7 – iv7 – i7 – i7 – ♭VI7 – V7 – i7 – V7 — in A minor that is Am7 – Am7 – Am7 – Am7 – Dm7 – Dm7 – Am7 – Am7 – F7 – E7 – Am7 – E7. Each numeral is a step of the scale; upper case is a major chord, lower case minor.
- i7 — the minor home chord.
- iv7 — the minor four chord: darker and more emotional.
- ♭VI7 — a major chord borrowed from the minor key: epic and dramatic.
- V7 — the tension chord that wants to resolve home.
Minor blues in all 12 keys
| Key | Chords | Hear / play |
|---|---|---|
| A minor | Am7Am7Am7Am7Dm7Dm7Am7Am7F7E7Am7E7 | Looper |
| E minor | Em7Em7Em7Em7Am7Am7Em7Em7C7B7Em7B7 | Looper |
| B minor | Bm7Bm7Bm7Bm7Em7Em7Bm7Bm7G7F#7Bm7F#7 | Looper |
| F# minor | F#m7F#m7F#m7F#m7Bm7Bm7F#m7F#m7D7C#7F#m7C#7 | Looper |
| C# minor | C#m7C#m7C#m7C#m7F#m7F#m7C#m7C#m7A7G#7C#m7G#7 | Looper |
| G# minor | G#m7G#m7G#m7G#m7C#m7C#m7G#m7G#m7E7D#7G#m7D#7 | Looper |
| Eb minor | Ebm7Ebm7Ebm7Ebm7Abm7Abm7Ebm7Ebm7B7Bb7Ebm7Bb7 | Looper |
| Bb minor | Bbm7Bbm7Bbm7Bbm7Ebm7Ebm7Bbm7Bbm7Gb7F7Bbm7F7 | Looper |
| F minor | Fm7Fm7Fm7Fm7Bbm7Bbm7Fm7Fm7Db7C7Fm7C7 | Looper |
| C minor | Cm7Cm7Cm7Cm7Fm7Fm7Cm7Cm7Ab7G7Cm7G7 | Looper |
| G minor | Gm7Gm7Gm7Gm7Cm7Cm7Gm7Gm7Eb7D7Gm7D7 | Looper |
| D minor | Dm7Dm7Dm7Dm7Gm7Gm7Dm7Dm7Bb7A7Dm7A7 | Looper |
Songs that use it
- The Thrill Is Gone — B.B. King
Song examples use this progression (or a very close variant) in at least one main section; keys and voicings differ.
Practice ideas
- Beginners: play one strum per chord and say the chord names out loud, then two strums, then a steady down-down-up-up-down-up pattern.
- Change keys with a capo: keep the E minor shapes and move a capo up — the capo calculator shows which fret gives the key you want.
- Solo over it: loop it in the Looper and improvise with the E minor pentatonic or E natural minor or E blues scale — the scale pages show every position and play a backing track.
- Train your ear: the progression ear trainer mixes this with similar progressions until you can tell them apart.
Similar progressions
- i–♭VI–iv–V7 i – ♭VI – iv – V7
- i–iv–♭VI–V i – iv – ♭VI – V
- Minor circle of fifths i – iv – ♭VII – ♭III – ♭VI – ii° – V – i
- "Hotel California" progression i – V – ♭VII – IV – ♭VI – ♭III – iv – V
- Minor ii–V–i chain ("Autumn Leaves") iv7 – ♭VII7 – ♭IIImaj7 – ♭VImaj7 – iiø7 – V7 – i – i
- Minor i–iv i – iv
← Minor ii–V–i · Minor line cliché →
← All 198 chord progressions · Generate a new one
Questions
What chords are in the i7 – i7 – i7 – i7 – iv7 – iv7 – i7 – i7 – ♭VI7 – V7 – i7 – V7 progression?
In E minor: Em7 – Em7 – Em7 – Em7 – Am7 – Am7 – Em7 – Em7 – C7 – B7 – Em7 – B7. In C major / A minor: Am7 – Am7 – Am7 – Am7 – Dm7 – Dm7 – Am7 – Am7 – F7 – E7 – Am7 – E7. The table on this page lists all 12 keys.
What is the best key to play i7 – i7 – i7 – i7 – iv7 – iv7 – i7 – i7 – ♭VI7 – V7 – i7 – V7 on guitar?
E minor uses the most open-position chord shapes in standard tuning. Use a capo with those shapes to reach other keys.
What songs use the minor blues?
For example: The Thrill Is Gone — B.B. King.