Eb major · I – I – I – I – IV – IV – I – I – V – IV – I – V

12-Bar Blues Chord Progression in Eb major

In Eb major the 12-Bar Blues progression is Eb7 – Ab7 – Bb7 (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	Eb7	`xx1023`
IV	Ab7	`464544`
V	Bb7	`x1013x`

Bar by bar

bar 1 Eb7	bar 2 Eb7	bar 3 Eb7	bar 4 Eb7
bar 5 Ab7	bar 6 Ab7	bar 7 Eb7	bar 8 Eb7
bar 9 Bb7	bar 10 Ab7	bar 11 Eb7	bar 12 Bb7

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 Eb major

Eb major contains the notes Eb, F, G, Ab, Bb, C, D. See the full Eb 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 E major F major F# major G major Ab major A major Bb major B major

Other progressions in Eb 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 Eb major?

Eb7 – Eb7 – Eb7 – Eb7 – Ab7 – Ab7 – Eb7 – Eb7 – Bb7 – Ab7 – Eb7 – Bb7 (one chord per bar over twelve bars).

What notes are in Eb major?

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

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

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

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