Learn to Play Blues Guitar with 12 Bar Blues Backing Tracks | Free Lessons and Tips
12 Bar Blues Backing Tracks: A Guide for Beginners
If you are a guitar player who loves the blues, you probably know how fun and rewarding it is to play along with backing tracks. Backing tracks are recorded musical accompaniments that provide the rhythm, harmony, and groove for your soloing. They can help you improve your timing, technique, creativity, and confidence as a musician.
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But where can you find good quality backing tracks that suit your style and skill level? And how can you use them effectively to practice and improvise over the 12 bar blues, the most common and popular form of blues music?
In this article, we will answer these questions and more. We will explain what the 12 bar blues is, how it is structured, and how it can be varied. We will also show you why backing tracks are a great tool for learning and playing the blues, and where to find free backing tracks online. Finally, we will give you some tips and examples on how to improvise over 12 bar blues backing tracks using different scales, modes, licks, and riffs.
So grab your guitar, plug in your headphones, and get ready to jam with some awesome 12 bar blues backing tracks!
What is the 12 bar blues?
The 12 bar blues is a musical form that was created for blues music. It is also sometimes referred to as blues changes. Blues is a musical genre that stems from African-American traditional songs and work songs. It is a forerunner to other genres like jazz, rock and roll, and rhythm & blues.
The 12 bar blues is the most commonly occurring chord progression in the blues. It has been used by blues musicians since the beginning of the 20th century and features in some of the most famous blues songs of all time, including Sweet Home Chicago, The Thrill Is Gone and Pride and Joy (amongst countless others).
The basic structure and chords of the 12 bar blues
The name 12 bar blues comes from the fact that it consists of 12 musical bars (or measures) that are repeated over and over. Each bar has four beats, which means that there are 48 beats in total in one cycle of the 12 bar blues.
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The basic progression for a 12 bar blues uses only three chords: the tonic (I), the subdominant (IV), and the dominant (V) chords of a given key. For example, in the key of C major, the I chord is C, the IV chord is F, and the V chord is G.
A simple way to play these chords on guitar is to use dominant seventh chords (C7, F7, G7), which add some tension and color to the sound. Here is how a basic 12 bar blues in C looks like in chord notation:
C7 C7 C7 C7 F7 F7 C7 C7 G7 F7 C7 G7
And here is how it looks like in functional notation (T = tonic, S = subdominant, D = dominant):
T T T T S S T T D S T D
And here is how it looks like in Roman numeral notation (I = I, IV = subdominant, V = dominant):
I I I I IV IV I I V IV I V
The basic 12 bar blues follows a simple pattern: four bars of the I chord, two bars of the IV chord, two bars of the I chord, one bar of the V chord, one bar of the IV chord, one bar of the I chord, and one bar of the V chord. This is also known as the AAB form, because it consists of two identical phrases (A) followed by a different phrase (B).
The variations and embellishments of the 12 bar blues
The basic 12 bar blues is a simple and effective way to play the blues, but it can also be modified and embellished in many ways to create more interest and variety. Some of the common variations and embellishments are:
Adding a quick change to the IV chord in the second bar. This creates more movement and contrast in the first phrase. For example:
C7 F7 C7 C7 F7 F7 C7 C7 G7 F7 C7 G7
Adding a turnaround in the last two bars. A turnaround is a sequence of chords that leads back to the beginning of the progression. It creates more tension and resolution in the end of the cycle. There are many possible turnarounds, but one of the most common ones is using a VI chord (A7 in C) followed by a II chord (Dm in C) and a V chord (G7 in C). For example:
C7 F7 C7 C7 F7 F7 C7 C7 G7 F7 A7 Dm G7
Adding passing chords between the main chords. Passing chords are chords that connect two other chords by moving up or down by a half step or a whole step. They create more smoothness and chromaticism in the progression. For example, using a Db7 chord between C7 and F7, and using an Eb7 chord between F7 and C7:
C7 Db7 F7 Eb7 C7 Db7 F7 Eb7 C7 Db7 F7 Eb7 G7 F#dim C A D G
These are just some examples of how you can spice up your 12 bar blues progression. You can also experiment with different keys, tempos, rhythms, grooves, and styles to suit your taste and mood.
Why use backing tracks for practicing the 12 bar blues?
Now that you know what the 12 bar blues is and how it can be varied, you might be wondering why you should use backing tracks for practicing it. After all, you can just play it by yourself on your guitar, right?
Well, yes and no. Playing by yourself is fine for learning the basics, but if you want to really master the 12 bar blues and improve your musical skills, you need to play along with backing tracks. Here are some of the reasons why:
The benefits of playing along with backing tracks
Playing along with backing tracks can help you:
Develop your sense of timing and rhythm. Backing tracks provide a steady beat and groove that you have to follow and sync with. This will improve your accuracy, consistency, and feel for music.
Improve your technique and tone. Backing tracks force you to play cleanly and clearly, without relying on effects or distortion to cover up your mistakes. This will improve your articulation, dynamics, and expression.
Expand your vocabulary and creativity. Backing tracks expose you to different styles, genres, keys, scales, modes, licks, riffs, and patterns that you can learn from and incorporate into your own playing. This will improve your versatility, originality, and musicality.
Boost your confidence and fun. Backing tracks simulate playing with other musicians in a band or jam session. This will improve your communication, interaction, and improvisation skills. It will also make practicing more enjoyable and rewarding.
The tips and tricks for using backing tracks effectively
To get the most out of playing along with backing tracks, here are some tips and tricks that you should follow:
Pick backing tracks that match your skill level and goals. Don't choose tracks that are too easy or too hard for you. Choose tracks that challenge you but also allow you to play comfortably and confidently.<