Blues · Beginner · major key
12-bar blues
I7 – I7 – I7 – I7 – IV7 – IV7 – I7 – I7 – V7 – IV7 – I7 – V7 — The foundation of blues, rock and roll and early rock. Twelve bars, three chords.
Easiest guitar key: G major
Chord shapes in G major (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 – V7 – IV7 – I7 – V7 — in C major that is C7 – C7 – C7 – C7 – F7 – F7 – C7 – C7 – G7 – F7 – C7 – G7. Each numeral is a step of the scale; upper case is a major chord, lower case minor.
- I7 — the home chord — the progression feels finished when it lands here.
- IV7 — a bright, open chord a fourth above home — the "amen" chord.
- V7 — the tension chord that wants to resolve home.
12-bar blues in all 12 keys
| Key | Chords | Hear / play |
|---|---|---|
| C major | C7C7C7C7F7F7C7C7G7F7C7G7 | Looper |
| G major | G7G7G7G7C7C7G7G7D7C7G7D7 | Looper |
| D major | D7D7D7D7G7G7D7D7A7G7D7A7 | Looper |
| A major | A7A7A7A7D7D7A7A7E7D7A7E7 | Looper |
| E major | E7E7E7E7A7A7E7E7B7A7E7B7 | Looper |
| B major | B7B7B7B7E7E7B7B7F#7E7B7F#7 | Looper |
| F# major | F#7F#7F#7F#7B7B7F#7F#7C#7B7F#7C#7 | Looper |
| Db major | Db7Db7Db7Db7Gb7Gb7Db7Db7Ab7Gb7Db7Ab7 | Looper |
| Ab major | Ab7Ab7Ab7Ab7Db7Db7Ab7Ab7Eb7Db7Ab7Eb7 | Looper |
| Eb major | Eb7Eb7Eb7Eb7Ab7Ab7Eb7Eb7Bb7Ab7Eb7Bb7 | Looper |
| Bb major | Bb7Bb7Bb7Bb7Eb7Eb7Bb7Bb7F7Eb7Bb7F7 | Looper |
| F major | F7F7F7F7Bb7Bb7F7F7C7Bb7F7C7 | Looper |
Songs that use it
- Johnny B. Goode — Chuck Berry
- Hound Dog — Big Mama Thornton / Elvis Presley
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 G major 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 G major pentatonic or G major 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
- 8-bar blues I7 – V7 – IV7 – IV7 – I7 – V7 – I7 – V7
- 12-bar blues with quick change I7 – IV7 – I7 – I7 – IV7 – IV7 – I7 – I7 – V7 – IV7 – I7 – V7
- I–IV–vi–V I – IV – vi – V
- Axis progression (starting on V) V – vi – IV – I
- I–V–IV–V I – V – IV – V
- Perfect cadence (V–I) IV – V – I – I
← Lydian vamp (I–II) · 12-bar blues with quick change →
← All 198 chord progressions · Generate a new one
Questions
What chords are in the I7 – I7 – I7 – I7 – IV7 – IV7 – I7 – I7 – V7 – IV7 – I7 – V7 progression?
In G major: G7 – G7 – G7 – G7 – C7 – C7 – G7 – G7 – D7 – C7 – G7 – D7. In C major / A minor: C7 – C7 – C7 – C7 – F7 – F7 – C7 – C7 – G7 – F7 – C7 – G7. The table on this page lists all 12 keys.
What is the best key to play I7 – I7 – I7 – I7 – IV7 – IV7 – I7 – I7 – V7 – IV7 – I7 – V7 on guitar?
G major uses the most open-position chord shapes in standard tuning. Use a capo with those shapes to reach other keys.
What songs use the 12-bar blues?
For example: Johnny B. Goode — Chuck Berry; Hound Dog — Big Mama Thornton / Elvis Presley.