INTRODUCTION TO 12-BAR BLUES

Originating in African-American culture, the musical form known as the blues has its roots in
the “field hollers” and work songs from the period of slavery prior to the Civil War. Instruments
were later added, and the principal (though by no means exclusive) subject of the blues became
relationships between lovers, spouses, etc. This musical genre and form was hugely influential
on the development of rhythm & blues, rock, and even purely instrumental jazz. The “blues” is a
true American musical genre, one which has traveled throughout the world—even to DeKalb,
where B. B. King recently celebrated his 80th birthday at the NIU Convocation Center. You can
listen to lots of blues at WNIJ-FM (89.5) on Friday and Saturday nights, and Saturday afternoon.

The 12-bar blues is one of several common forms of this very flexible musical genre. It often
presents three lines of text, in “aab” form, as shown below. Each line of text corresponds to four
measures of music in quadruple meter; the beat divisions may be simple or compound. The vocal
line usually concludes about halfway through each line of text, leaving the remaining measures
for an instrumental “break.” After 12 bars, the musical form repeats while the story told (or
feelings expressed) in the lyrics change. Each 12-bar grouping can be called a stanza, verse,
strophe, or chorus. The lyrics below, from “Rollin’ and Tumblin” by Muddy Waters, is shown
with the most basic chord progression associated with the 12-bar blues.

Well, I rolled and I tumbled, cried the whole night long. (a) mm. 1-4: I----------------
Well, I rolled and I tumbled, cried the whole night long. (a) mm. 5-8: IV------ I------
Well, I woke up this mornin, didn't know right from wrong. (b) mm. 9-12: V------- I------

The harmonic progression associated with the 12-bar blues is a relatively standard one, typically
limited (as shown) to the three primary (tonic, subdominant, and dominant) harmonic functions.
Still, there is variety, and unpredictability (even within a single song) in these chord choices.
Here’s an easy way to think about the overall harmonic progression and its common variants:

Meas 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

Chord I -- -- -- IV -- I -- V -- I --
OR (IV) (IV) (V)
Guide do -- -- -- -- -- -- -- ti (do) do (ti)
Bass do -- -- -- fa -- do -- sol (fa) do (sol)

Observations:

1. Tonic harmony (I) accounts for the majority of the progression (up to 8 out of 12 bars).

2. In the alternative (“OR”) choices shown above, the optional IV chord in m. 2 anticipates,
and the optional IV chord in m. 10 recalls, the more pronounced use of IV in mm. 5-6.

3. As the alternative choice for m. 12, the dominant (V) chord is called the “turnaround,”
because it effectively leads back to tonic (I) harmony for each subsequent verse that
immediately follows. Sometimes m. 12 begins with I, but moves to V halfway through.

4. Conducting hypermetrically can really help you to follow this form and its harmonic
progression: hearing each measure as a “hyperbeat,” the 12 bars comprise 3 four-beat
“hypermeasures.” Notice that each hypermeasure emphasizes a different primary chord
function (I, IV, & V)—see the bold type indicating the chord changes at mm. 1, 5, and 9.
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