Twelve-Bar Minor Blues

Minor 12-bar · i–iv–i–V–iv–i · C minor · i–iv–i–V–iv–i–V

Play this pattern

Twelve-Bar Minor Blues is a chord pattern you can play in any key. The degrees are i–iv–i–V–iv–i–V.

The twelve-bar blues in minor. The turnaround uses a major V so the form still asks to start again.

Patterns are common chord moves. They are not the chart of a recorded hit.

Patterns are named by theory. Play them in any key that fits your voice.

Each song page has a chord chart, fingerings, and the same song in every key.

The pattern

i – iv – i – V – iv – i – V

Cm · Fm · Cm · G · Fm · Cm · G

Chord chart

Chord chart
1Cm···
2Fm·Cm·
3GFmCmG

How to sing it

Twelve bars, one chord each. Save the lift for bar nine, and let the last V hang so the next chorus is obvious.

In every key

In every key
KeysChord chart
C minor · Written in this keyCm · Fm · Cm · G · Fm · Cm · G
Db minorC#m · F#m · C#m · G# · F#m · C#m · G#
D minorDm · Gm · Dm · A · Gm · Dm · A
Eb minorD#m · G#m · D#m · A# · G#m · D#m · A#
E minorEm · Am · Em · B · Am · Em · B
F minorFm · Bbm · Fm · C · Bbm · Fm · C
F# minorF#m · Bm · F#m · C# · Bm · F#m · C#
G minorGm · Cm · Gm · D · Cm · Gm · D
Ab minorG#m · C#m · G#m · D# · C#m · G#m · D#
A minorAm · Dm · Am · E · Dm · Am · E
Bb minorBbm · Ebm · Bbm · F · Ebm · Bbm · F
B minorBm · Em · Bm · F# · Em · Bm · F#

These songs use this pattern. This is not their chord chart: real recordings differ in key, rhythm and the chords they add.

Public-domain songs with this pattern

No Songbook entry uses this pattern as a run of chords.