# Re: 12 Bar Blues **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** music\ **Created:** [July 1, 2024, 4:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-12-bar-blues/1003553 "2024-07-01T04:25:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Ranger\_Jeff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranger_jeff/32/2065_2.png) [@Ranger\_Jeff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranger_Jeff)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2024, 4:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-12-bar-blues/1003553/1 "2024-07-01T04:25:32Z")
Nu? Am I cheating if I toss a IV chord for all of Bar 2. How about a V7 for the last half of Bar 12? ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2024, 5:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-12-bar-blues/1003553/2 "2024-07-01T05:28:41Z")
Didn’t understand a word of that, but as a really bad drummer, 12 bar blues are all I can keep time to (sometimes). ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2024, 5:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-12-bar-blues/1003553/3 "2024-07-01T05:41:31Z")
Look for a sleepy horse, find an awake Zebra 🤔 ---
**Author:** ![engineer\_comp\_geek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/engineer_comp_geek/32/504_2.png) [@engineer\_comp\_geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/engineer_comp_geek)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2024, 6:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-12-bar-blues/1003553/4 "2024-07-01T06:25:21Z")
> [@Ranger\_Jeff](#): > > Am I cheating if I toss a IV chord for all of Bar 2 I’m admittedly not much of a blues player, but isn’t that just a common “quick four” variant of 12 bar blues? > [@Gatopescado](#): > > Didn’t understand a word of that For those that are having trouble parsing the question, 12 bar blues basically follows the chord progression I I I I IV IV I I V IV I I. If you are in the key of C, then I=C, IV=F, and V=G. The “quick four” version starts off I IV I I instead of I I I I. Why anyone would call that cheating is beyond me, but like I said I’m not much of a blues player. ---
**Author:** ![engineer\_comp\_geek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/engineer_comp_geek/32/504_2.png) [@engineer\_comp\_geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/engineer_comp_geek)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2024, 6:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-12-bar-blues/1003553/5 "2024-07-01T06:32:33Z")
I found this on youtube which explains what a 12 bar blues is a lot better than I can: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/vx3N6tlz9N8/maxresdefault.jpg "What is a 12 Bar Blues? - Music Notes - by Hoffman Academy") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vx3N6tlz9N8) ---
**Author:** ![xtenkfarpl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/c2a13f/32.png) [@xtenkfarpl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xtenkfarpl)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2024, 11:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-12-bar-blues/1003553/6 "2024-07-01T11:46:53Z")
There’s nothing sacred about a 12 bar. It’s just a sort of summary of patterns used by blues players for many years. If you listen to the old bluesmen, they often didn’t stick to a rigid sequence, they would often throw in extra bars or leave some out. Blues is more about the feel than the strict form. Toss in whatever you like! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Jaycat.again](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jaycat.again/32/11525_2.png) [@Jaycat.again](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jaycat.again)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2024, 11:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-12-bar-blues/1003553/7 "2024-07-01T11:56:19Z")
Substitute a minor V 7 for one bar of the I, then you’re really cooking! ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2024, 12:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-12-bar-blues/1003553/8 "2024-07-01T12:15:39Z")
The thread needs a theme song. https://www.youtube.com/embed/Ze8UTaL1OTQ?feature=oembed&wmode=opaque&list=RDZe8UTaL1OTQ ---
**Author:** ![Ranger\_Jeff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranger_jeff/32/2065_2.png) [@Ranger\_Jeff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranger_Jeff)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2024, 7:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-12-bar-blues/1003553/9 "2024-07-02T07:51:56Z")
I admit to tossing in a iii in the 2nd bar too. ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2024, 11:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-12-bar-blues/1003553/10 "2024-07-02T11:46:35Z")
About all I can add is during a recent gig I found myself playing quite a bit of 12 bar blues (on upright bass.) How boring. ---
**Author:** ![Biffster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biffster/32/339_2.png) [@Biffster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffster)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2024, 11:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-12-bar-blues/1003553/11 "2024-07-02T11:51:42Z")
And predictable. That’s why it’s so popular at jams. You don’t really have to think about the chord progression. Well, maybe except for Stormy Monday. ---
**Author:** ![RitterSport](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rittersport/32/6326_2.png) [@RitterSport](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RitterSport)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2024, 12:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-12-bar-blues/1003553/12 "2024-07-02T12:39:33Z")
I’ve played a variant that goes (in A): A D A A D D# A F# B E (then half measures:) A F# B E I guess that’s I IV I I IV IV# I VI? II? V (half:) I VI II V ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2024, 12:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-12-bar-blues/1003553/13 "2024-07-02T12:50:55Z")
> [@Biffster](#): > > And predictable. Fun once in a while. Just lay down a groove. But unless you have a versatile frontman who changes things up, IMO one after another gets mighty old mighty quick. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2024, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-12-bar-blues/1003553/14 "2024-07-02T13:36:11Z")
That is absolutely normal and standard. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2024, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-12-bar-blues/1003553/15 "2024-07-02T14:07:40Z")
You want a fun one that you might not recognize as a blues progression though it actually follows IIII IV IV II V IV I I ? LIsten to the verses of “Peg” by Steely Dan. That’s the blues progression, though voiced through the jazzy mind of Donald Fagan, so you get that major seventh extensions instead of the traditional minor/dominant seventh. ---
**Author:** ![xtenkfarpl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/c2a13f/32.png) [@xtenkfarpl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xtenkfarpl)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2024, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-12-bar-blues/1003553/16 "2024-07-02T14:10:10Z")
> [@Dinsdale](#): > > But unless you have a versatile frontman who changes things up, IMO one after another gets mighty old mighty quick. Like playing both kinds of music: Country AND Western… 😉 Steely Dan had some interesting variations on the blues, but of course as was their habit, they would go off into some gnarly chords after a bluesy start… AH! Ninja’d by Pulykamell! ---
**Author:** ![Biffster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biffster/32/339_2.png) [@Biffster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffster)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2024, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-12-bar-blues/1003553/17 "2024-07-02T22:05:01Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > You want a fun one that you might not recognize as a blues progression though it actually follows IIII IV IV II V IV I I ? LIsten to the verses of “Peg” by Steely Dan. That’s the blues progression, though voiced through the jazzy mind of Donald Fagan, so you get that major seventh extensions instead of the traditional minor/dominant seventh Pretty sure that progression is more than 12 bars tho. Great song. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2024, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-12-bar-blues/1003553/18 "2024-07-02T22:08:20Z")
No, the verse is straight-up 12 bar blues when you start with “I’ve seen your picture.” ETA: From the horse’s mouth, too: > **[David's Guitar Loft on Instagram: "Insights on “Peg” with Donald Fagen! Nice...](https://www.instagram.com/davidsguitarloft/reel/C5RDu-qulFb/)** > > 5,775 likes, 123 comments - davidsguitarloft on April 2, 2024: "Insights on “Peg” with Donald Fagen! > > Nice overhead view and demonstration of how the verse of “Peg” is derived from a 12 bar blues. Interesting choice for using a plagal cadence with... ---
**Author:** ![Lucas\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lucas_jackson/32/303_2.png) [@Lucas\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucas_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2024, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-12-bar-blues/1003553/19 "2024-07-02T22:18:57Z")
E E7 A Am EE C7 Bm7 E ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2024, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-12-bar-blues/1003553/20 "2024-07-02T22:21:06Z")
I said the verse. I mean if Donald Fagan’s cite isn’t enough I don’t know what else to say. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-12-bar-blues/1003553.md?page=2)