IIVIVIVIV

Blues / Rock / Jazz · D

12-Bar Blues in D

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 D 12-Bar Blues

ID
IVG
ID
VA
IVG
ID
VA

Hear 12-Bar Blues in D

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 D

I-IV-V-ID – G – A – DI-V-vi-IVD – A – Bm – Gii-V-IEm – A – DI-vi-IV-VD – Bm – G – AIV-I-V-viG – D – A – BmI-III-IV-VD – F# – G – A

Related Progressions

I-IV-V-I in DD – G – A – DI-V-vi-IV in DD – A – Bm – GI-vi-IV-V in DD – Bm – G – AIV-I-V-vi in DG – D – A – Bm

12-Bar Blues in D

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