The 12 bar blues - Blues guitar chords made simple.

So which chords are the blues guitar chords? Ever heard of the 12 bar blues? Sound complicated? It's not really, actually its as easy as 1, 4, 5.

I could go into a long explanation of what I mean by that, but I'm going to keep this simple so you can see results fast.

The 1, 4, 5 are just the chords based on the notes of any major scale that come first, fourth and fifth.

Just to keep it simple, I'm not even going to explain how to figure out what the chords are. I'm simply going to show you where to find the chords that you need.

There are far better people out there to teach music theory than me. So if you care to go on and learn, by all means I encourage it. I'll be giving my recommendation for that sort of thing later on.

So I'll keep it simple so you can get on with making music.

The most Common and easy to play rhythm is a very simple thing called the 12 bar blues. You will most likely recognize it from about a billion songs that you've heard already, so it's already built into your nervous system most likely.

To open a full size 12 Bar blues, PDF file example click on the thumbnail image below.

Blues guitar chords
To open a full size 12 Bar blues PDF file example click on the thumbnail images below.

12 Bar Blues Tab

So that's the 12 bar blues in the key of E in the first position on the neck. Next on the agenda is to show you how to play it all the way up and down the neck. 11 more keys in the same shapes of the blues guitar chords presented here.Here is a thumbnail picture that leads to the Movable 12 bar blues example. This example is in the Key of A.

Movable 12 Bar Blues Tab

To learn how to use this example of blues guitar chords in any key you wish simply learn the notes for each fret on the sixth string ( the fattest )and simply move the pattern up or down to the note of the key that you wish to play in. It's really that simple. Check out my lessons on learning the fretboard.

If you are listening to a recording and you want to play along simply move your finger up and down the sixth string till you find the root note by listening carefully to the note that they start out on..

Coming soon I'll have a couple of videos to hopefully show you how easy it really is.

Learning the blues guitar chords and The 12 bar blues rhythm is great, gets the toes tapping, the body moving. Great start, but where it really gets interesting is coming up with a great solo to play over this. Now this will put a smile on your face and create all kind of happiness, dancing and joy in your listeners and that is really what it's all about now, Isn't it?

Please be sure to check out the following related pages on this website.

1. Blues guitar licks -

The basic building blocks of a great guitar solo. How can they make you sound like a Pro?

2. Blues guitar scales - Get these under your fingers and you're on your way to some really great guitar.

3. Guitar finger exercises - How do you get fast, nimble, accurate, and gymnastic fingers?

4. Guitar fretboard - Never get lost on the fretboard again. Here's how.

5. Guitar speed training - Do you know how to get fast on the guitar?

Links to useful websites.

Buddy Guys Story.

Return from blues guitar chords to home.


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