C major · I – I – I – I – IV – IV – I – I – V – IV – I – V

12-Bar Blues Chord Progression in C major

In C major the 12-Bar Blues progression is C7 – F7 – G7 (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	C7	`x35350`
IV	F7	`1012xx`
V	G7	`320001`

Bar by bar

bar 1 C7	bar 2 C7	bar 3 C7	bar 4 C7
bar 5 F7	bar 6 F7	bar 7 C7	bar 8 C7
bar 9 G7	bar 10 F7	bar 11 C7	bar 12 G7

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 C major

C major contains the notes C, D, E, F, G, A, B. See the full C Major scale with fretboard diagrams, and use it to solo over the progression.

12-Bar Blues in other keys

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

Other progressions in C 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 C major?

C7 – C7 – C7 – C7 – F7 – F7 – C7 – C7 – G7 – F7 – C7 – G7 (one chord per bar over twelve bars).

What notes are in C major?

C major contains C, D, E, F, G, A, B.

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

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

Get one useful guitar tip a week

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