IIVIVIVIV

Blues / Rock / Jazz · A

12-Bar Blues in A

The defining form of the blues — a 12-bar cycle using I, IV, and V chords. The foundation of blues, rock and roll, and early jazz.

Chords in A 12-Bar Blues

IA
IVD
IA
VE
IVD
IA
VE

Hear 12-Bar Blues in A

12-Bar Blues in All 12 Keys

CC – F – C – G – F – C – GC#D♭Db – Gb – Db – Ab – Gb – Db – AbDD – G – D – A – G – D – AD#E♭Eb – Ab – Eb – Bb – Ab – Eb – BbEE – A – E – B – A – E – BFF – Bb – F – C – Bb – F – CF#G♭F# – B – F# – C# – B – F# – C#GG – C – G – D – C – G – DG#A♭Ab – Db – Ab – Eb – Db – Ab – EbAA – D – A – E – D – A – EA#B♭Bb – Eb – Bb – F – Eb – Bb – FBB – E – B – F# – E – B – F#

Other Progressions in A

I-IV-V-IA – D – E – AI-V-vi-IVA – E – F#m – Dii-V-IBm – E – AI-vi-IV-VA – F#m – D – EIV-I-V-viD – A – E – F#mI-III-IV-VA – C# – D – E

Related Progressions

I-IV-V-I in AA – D – E – AI-V-vi-IV in AA – E – F#m – DI-vi-IV-V in AA – F#m – D – EIV-I-V-vi in AD – A – E – F#m

12-Bar Blues in A

The 12-Bar Blues progression in the key of A uses the chords A, D, A, E, D, A, E. These correspond to the I, IV, I, V, IV, I, V degrees of the A major scale.

The defining form of the blues — a 12-bar cycle using I, IV, and V chords. The foundation of blues, rock and roll, and early jazz. In A, this progression has a characteristic sound shaped by the tonal colour of the A root — common in blues / rock / jazz. Practise hearing it until the sequence feels inevitable rather than surprising.