12-bar minor blues


Another variation on the basic blues progression is the 12-Bar Minor Blues progression with the minor tonality in place of major. There are strong similarities to the standard 12-bar blues progression.

General Elements of the 12-Bar Minor Blues progression:

  1. The progression is 12 measures long.
  2. The 5th measure is the Subdominant (iv chord), or the chord based on the fourth step of the Tonic scale.
  3. The 9th measure begins a cadence progressing to the Tonic (i chord).

12-bar minor blues
Play 12-Bar Minor Blues Example
More about the blues.
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