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Blues / Rock / Jazz · C

12-Bar Blues in C

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 C 12-Bar Blues

IC
IVF
IC
VG
IVF
IC
VG

Hear 12-Bar Blues in C

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 C

I-IV-V-IC – F – G – CI-V-vi-IVC – G – Am – Fii-V-IDm – G – CI-vi-IV-VC – Am – F – GIV-I-V-viF – C – G – AmI-III-IV-VC – E – F – G

Related Progressions

I-IV-V-I in CC – F – G – CI-V-vi-IV in CC – G – Am – FI-vi-IV-V in CC – Am – F – GIV-I-V-vi in CF – C – G – Am

12-Bar Blues in C

The 12-Bar Blues progression in the key of C uses the chords C, F, C, G, F, C, G. These correspond to the I, IV, I, V, IV, I, V degrees of the C 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 C, this progression has a characteristic sound shaped by the tonal colour of the C root — common in blues / rock / jazz. Practise hearing it until the sequence feels inevitable rather than surprising.