Ab major · I – I – I – I – IV – IV – I – I – V – IV – I – V

12-Bar Blues Chord Progression in Ab major

In Ab major the 12-Bar Blues progression is Ab7 – Db7 – Eb7 (12 bars).

The most important chord pattern in blues and early rock and roll, one chord per bar across twelve bars. Hound Dog and Johnny B. Goode are classic twelve-bar blues songs.

The chords

Numeral	Chord	Easiest shape
I	Ab7	`464544`
IV	Db7	`x4310x`
V	Eb7	`xx1023`

Bar by bar

bar 1 Ab7	bar 2 Ab7	bar 3 Ab7	bar 4 Ab7
bar 5 Db7	bar 6 Db7	bar 7 Ab7	bar 8 Ab7
bar 9 Eb7	bar 10 Db7	bar 11 Ab7	bar 12 Eb7

How to practise

Use dominant 7th chords for a bluesy feel, or plain major chords for a simpler sound. The last bar (V) is the turnaround that leads back to the start.

Play one chord per bar at 60 BPM with a simple down-strum on each beat.
Raise the tempo by 5 BPM once you can play eight rounds without a mistake.
Change the strumming pattern: down, down-up, up-down-up.

Key facts about Ab major

Ab major contains the notes Ab, Bb, C, Db, Eb, F, G. See the full Ab Major scale with fretboard diagrams, and use it to solo over the progression.

12-Bar Blues in other keys

C major Db major D major Eb major E major F major F# major G major A major Bb major B major

Other progressions in Ab major

I-V-vi-IV I-IV-V I-vi-IV-V (50s progression)vi-IV-I-V ii-V-I Canon Progression

FAQ

What are the chords of 12-Bar Blues in Ab major?

Ab7 – Ab7 – Ab7 – Ab7 – Db7 – Db7 – Ab7 – Ab7 – Eb7 – Db7 – Ab7 – Eb7 (one chord per bar over twelve bars).

What notes are in Ab major?

Ab major contains Ab, Bb, C, Db, Eb, F, G.

Which scale can I solo with over 12-Bar Blues in Ab major?

The Ab major scale fits, and the major pentatonic scale from Ab is the easiest choice.

Get one useful guitar tip a week

New chord guides, practice ideas and app updates. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.