Blues Chord Progressions

The blues has one famous form — 12 bars of I, IV and V — and a few variations every player should know.

Play them in C major — or pick another key

12-bar blues in C major

The standard blues form: four bars on I, two on IV, two back on I, then the V–IV turnaround. 12 bars, then it loops.

90 BPM
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Solo on the fretboard

012345678910111213141516171819EFF♯GA♯CD♯FF♯GA♯AA♯CD♯FF♯GA♯CD♯DD♯FF♯GA♯CD♯FF♯GGA♯CD♯FF♯GA♯CBCD♯FF♯GA♯CD♯FF♯EFF♯GA♯CD♯FF♯GA♯
Chord tones C blues Key note

Press play — or tap a chord above — to see its notes light up. Open the scale in the fretboard tool

Pick a progression

4 blues progressions

  1. 12-bar blues

    I7 (4 bars) – IV7 (2 bars) – I7 (2 bars) – V7 – IV7 – I7 – V7

    The standard blues form: four bars on I, two on IV, two back on I, then the V–IV turnaround.

    In C: C7 – F7 – C7 – G7 – F7 – C7 – G7

    In G: G7 – C7 – G7 – D7 – C7 – G7 – D7In D: D7 – G7 – D7 – A7 – G7 – D7 – A7

  2. 12-bar blues, quick change

    I7 – IV7 – I7 (2 bars) – IV7 (2 bars) – I7 (2 bars) – V7 – IV7 – I7 – V7

    Like the 12-bar blues, but it visits IV already in bar 2.

    In C: C7 – F7 – C7 – F7 – C7 – G7 – F7 – C7 – G7

    In G: G7 – C7 – G7 – C7 – G7 – D7 – C7 – G7 – D7In D: D7 – G7 – D7 – G7 – D7 – A7 – G7 – D7 – A7

  3. 8-bar blues

    I7 – V7 – IV7 (2 bars) – I7 – V7 – I7 – V7

    A shorter blues form that moves faster between the chords.

    In C: C7 – G7 – F7 – C7 – G7 – C7 – G7

    In G: G7 – D7 – C7 – G7 – D7 – G7 – D7In D: D7 – A7 – G7 – D7 – A7 – D7 – A7

  4. Minor blues

    i7 (4 bars) – iv7 (2 bars) – i7 (2 bars) – VI7 – V7 – i7 – V7

    The 12-bar form in a minor key, with ♭VI7 leading to the dominant V7.

    In Am: Am7 – Dm7 – Am7 – F7 – E7 – Am7 – E7

    In Em: Em7 – Am7 – Em7 – C7 – B7 – Em7 – B7In Dm: Dm7 – Gm7 – Dm7 – B♭7 – A7 – Dm7 – A7

Why they work

In the blues every chord is usually a dominant 7th (C7, F7, G7), even the I chord. Those 7ths are what give the blues its restless, unresolved sound.

The form is a question and answer: four bars on I, two on IV and back to I, then the turnaround (V–IV–I–V) that leads into the next chorus. Once you can hear where bar 9 is, you can play along with almost any blues.

See them on the circle of fifths · Chord charts · Metronome

More chord progressions