65

Minor Blues Progressions

(i-iv-i-v-i)

The 12-bar minor blues progression is similar to a 12-bar traditional blues progression except that the minor tonality is used in place of the major. Below is an example of a proto typical progression in the key of Am followed by several common variations.

Am / / / / / / / / / / / / / / /

Dm / / / / / / / Am / / / / / / /

Em / / / Dm / / / Am / / / / / / /

Variation #1

Am / / / Dm / / / Am / / / / / / /

Dm / / / / / / / Am / / / / / / /

Em / / / Dm / / / Am / / / / / / /

Variation #2

Am / / / Dm / / / Am / / / / / / /

Dm / / / / / / / Am / / / / / / /

E7 / / / / / / / Am / / / / / / /

66

Variation #3

Am / / / / / / / / / / / / / / /

Dm / / / / / / / Am / / / / / / /

Bm7b5 / / / E7 / / / Am / / / / / / /

Variation #4

Am / / / / / / / / / / / / / / /

Dm / / / / / / / Am / / / / / / /

F7 / / / E7 / / / Am / / / / / / /

Like the 12-bar major blues, the last two bars of a 12-bar minor blues progression is the turnaround.

Below are several possible minor blues turnarounds.

| Am / / / | / / / / ||

| Am / / / | E7 / / / ||

| Am / / / | Bm7b5 / E7 / ||

| Am / F#m7b5 / | Bm7b5 / E7 / ||

| Am / / / | F7 / E7 / ||

| Am / Am/G / / | F7 / E7 / ||

| Am / F#m7b5 / | F7 / E7 / ||

| Am Abm Gm Gbm | F7 / E7 / ||

| Am / Dm / | Am / E7 / ||