Scott Paul Johnson
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Cool Chord Progressions | Major 12 Bar Blues
🕑 Added 2025-07-14 17:00:05 +0000 UTCWhere to Start • Lesson Archive • Recommended Lesson Plan • Book a Private Lesson
Hi Everyone,
This lesson is covering some cool concepts around the 12 bar blues:
• The weirdness of soloing in a blues "key" and ways to navigate it
• How the blues turnaround works and how to make your own
• How the form generally looks
• A few interesting variations on the 12 bar form
I didn't add homework in the video, but if you want some specific homework, here is an idea:
Try using a jam track to practice getting comfortable with the form, soloing, or practicing your turn arounds:
A Major Blues Jam Track
A Major Blues Jam Track II
You can find other keys, but get comfortable with the key of A Major first!
Comments
Scott Paul Johnson
With the I chord, bend it up to make it match the Major third of the I chord. With the IV chord, do not bend that same note. No need to bend at all, but you can ADD a note to the pentatonic scale to accent the third of that chord. On the I chord, the bend doesn't have to be perfect - many blues players treat it differently. Some bend it to be perfectly in tune, some just bend it enough to hint that it doesn't match. Start with "just pentatonic" but you can add notes over time.
Erin
So for clarity you’re saying its common to bend the pentatonic note to the 3rds of I and IV and not actually play them right? So we are just playing pentatonic notes?
Tasha McManus
Thanks!
Lauren Wise
My man Scott bustin' out the blues flava!
Erin
I like how you outlined a structure for the challenge today! Thats super helpful..
