Chording In The Blues/Rock Style
by Rod Goelz
Lesson Goals: What does it take to play rock and blues on guitar? In this lesson we'll discuss the necessary chord skills of any rock and blues musician, and we'll discuss how that musician typically organizes and thinks of chords, riffs and related topics in the rock and blues performance styles of Eric Clapton, Chuck Berry, Stevie Ray Vaughn, Jimi Hendrix, Jimmy Page, Buddy Guy, etc. In addition, this lesson will serve as the segue lesson in incorporating jazz influences and theories into the rock medium.
Rock And Blues Chording
Typically, the rock/blues guitarist thinks first in terms of chord grips. . . the "riff" comes later. The Dominant 7th chord IS the blues chord of choice. . . . and is most often plugged into a 12-Bar Blues Progression of some sort (which we'll discuss later in this lesson). In it's rawest, simplest form, the 12-Bar Blues consists of 3 chords (labeled the "I" "IV" & "V"). In the key of E these chords would be E7, A7 & B7.
The 12-Bar Blues is nothing more than a format that many have used to organize these chords in a musical way. The progression is 12 measures long (hence the title 12-Bar), and for ease of learning, can be divided into three equal parts which we'll call BEGINNING, MIDDLE & END. Every 12-Bar Blues structure contains a turnaround, which serves an appropriate transition into the next 12 bar cycle. As an example, in its simplest form, the turnaround can be a V7 chord (B7) in measure 12. In traditional harmony, the V7 chord is a chord in need of resolution to the "I" chord (E7). The same holds true for the blues.
Ó 2000 Rodney Goelz