What are the origins of the 12-bar blues?

The blues originated from a combination of work songs, spirituals, and early southern country music. The music was passed down through oral tradition. It was first written down by W. C. Handy, an African American composer and band leader.

Why is the 12-bar blues important?

The 12 bar blues is the structure upon which blues music is built. It has been used since the inception of the genre and appears in almost every iconic blues song ever written. It provides the framework for the blues and will help you learn a wide variety of blues songs, as well as jam confidently with other musicians.

How do you explain 12-bar blues?


Quote from video: Long the first part is just four bars of the one chord. The second part starts out with two bars of the iv chord followed by two bars of the one chord. The third part is one measure of the five chord.

How old is the 12-bar blues?

12.4 The 12-Bar Blues



Associated with the Blues genre, which originated in the early 1900s, the 12-bar blues progression was also popular during the Swing Era of the 1930s and 1940s, (examples include “In The Mood” and “One O’Clock Jump”), as well as during the early years of Rock ‘n’ Roll in the 1950s (“Johnny B.

Who is the father of the 12-bar blues?

W.C. Handy

W.C. Handy is the “Father of the Blues” W. C. Handy became the “Father of the Blues” when he titled his autobiography that same name in 1957.

Where did blues originate?

the southern United States

Blues developed in the southern United States after the American Civil War (1861–65). It was influenced by work songs and field hollers, minstrel show music, ragtime, church music, and the folk and popular music of the white population.

What are the 3 chords used in the 12-bar blues?



The standard 12-bar blues progression contains three chords. These three chords are the 1 chord, the 4 chord, and the 5 chord. Since we’re in the key of E blues, the 1 chord is E, the 4 chord is A, and the 5 chord is a B. Now let’s talk about blues rhythm.

What key is 12-bar blues?

The blues can be played in any key. In whatever key you are in, 12-bar blues uses the same basic sequence of I, IV, and V chords.

Does Jazz use 12-bar blues?

Standard Jazz Blues Progressions



In contemporary jazz, a blues form typically means a repeating 12-bar progression—often in a horn-friendly key like F or Bb—with standard chord changes and common substitutions.

Did the Beatles use 12-bar blues?

“12-Bar Original” is an instrumental 12-bar blues by the Beatles. It was recorded in 1965, but was not commercially available until 1996 when an edited version of take 2 of the song was included on the Anthology 2 album. Prior to editing, the length of take 2 was 6:36.

Why are the blues so influential?



The social significance of Blues music resides in the revolutionary element of African Americans creating their own aesthetics. Blues music represented the opposing voice that refused to be silenced by oppression and segregation. The Blues expressed this with unprecedented clarity, honesty and simplicity.

Why is the blues scale important?

Major and minor scales have concrete, well-defined characters, but blues scales create entirely new characters by melding both major and minor sounds together into memorable scales. Like all chords and scales, blues scales are fixed patterns of notes.

What is special about the blues scale?

The blues scale is a six-note progression that sounds right at home in blues, rock, and country music. This scale is essentially the pentatonic scale plus one chromatic note, often called the blue note. This extra step gives the blues scale that unmistakably bluesy sound.