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-   -   Need some 12 bar blues songs (https://www.acousticguitarforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=230640)

saneff 10-16-2011 03:22 PM

Need some 12 bar blues songs
 
Guys I'm trying to follow chord progressions and learn to hear the I, IV, V etc in songs so I can pick it our by ear. So it was told 12 bar blues songs are one good way to start that.

Can anyone give me a few good 12 bar blues songs or know where I can go find them?

walternewton 10-16-2011 04:01 PM

Here's a basic example, something I once posted on another forum (since I live in Austin I figure going with SRV is only appropriate):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NU0MF8pwktg

Try count the bars when when he starts singing:

"Well you HEARD about love giving sight to the blind..." starts on the 1st bar (I chord)

"She's my SWEET little thing" starts on the 5th bar (IV chord)

"She's my SWEET little baby" starts on the 9th bar (V chord)

Once you can recognize and count the 12 bar pattern you can hear how the whole song is basically the 12 bar pattern repeated over and over.

Bingoccc 10-16-2011 04:06 PM

A good place to spend some time.

http://www.12bar.de/

JonPR 10-17-2011 04:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by saneff (Post 2795027)
Guys I'm trying to follow chord progressions and learn to hear the I, IV, V etc in songs so I can pick it our by ear. So it was told 12 bar blues songs are one good way to start that.

Can anyone give me a few good 12 bar blues songs or know where I can go find them?

sheesh, where to start?

Off the top of my head, here's a few:

Chuck Berry: Johnny B Goode, Bye Bye Johnny (& many others)
Canned Heat: Let's Work Together; Goin' Up The Country
Beatles: You Can't Do That (verse); Can't Buy Me Love (verse)
Elvis Presley: Hound Dog, Teddy Bear
SRV: Pride and Joy (& many others)
Bob Dylan: Buckets of Rain: Rainy Day Women
Rolling Stones: Route 66, Little Red Rooster (& many others)
B B King: The Thrill is Gone (& most other things he ever recorded)

There are many others I can think of where the 12-bar format has been tweaked a little. Eg the following two:

Bob Dylan: She Belongs to Me
Stealers Wheel: Stuck in the Middle (used in Reservoir Dogs)

- both these are still 12-bars, but use a different chord in bar 9 or 10 from the usual V or IV. Worth listening for the difference.

Other songs based on a 12-bar format (same 3 chords, same order), but extended in various ways - usually a lot more than 12 bars:

Chuck Berry: Oh Carol; You Can't Catch Me
Elvis Presley: That's All Right Mama; Milk Cow Blues; Mystery Train
Beatles: She's a Woman; Revolution; Yer Blues
Muddy Waters: Hoochie Coochie Man

You should still be able to hear the changes in these.

(BTW, I'm aware many of these are not the original versions - just the well-known ones.)

Kerbie 10-17-2011 05:14 AM

Eric Clapton's "Unplugged" has some... "Hey Hey," "Before You Accuse Me."

saneff 10-17-2011 05:53 PM

Thanks guys. These are awesome. I hope I can learn this.

JonPR 10-17-2011 07:21 PM

Talking of Clapton, these Cream tracks are all 12-bars:
Crossroads
Strange Brew
Politician
Wrapping Paper (with some additional chords)

And Uplugged (as well as the above two), features:
Alberta
Malted Milk
Walkin' Blues

flier 10-17-2011 07:26 PM

Blues
 
I love the blues. Its all I TRY to play lol.

Robert Johnson sweet home chicago
Clapton HAve you ever loved a woman.
Actually just get the Clapton Robert Johnson Sessions cd. LOTS of 1-4-5 stuff.

Careful you may not wanna play anything else...

JonPR 10-17-2011 07:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by flier (Post 2796165)
I love the blues. Its all I TRY to play lol.

Robert Johnson sweet home chicago
Clapton HAve you ever loved a woman.
Actually just get the Clapton Robert Johnson Sessions cd. LOTS of 1-4-5 stuff.

Careful you may not wanna play anything else...

I'd just add to be careful of Robert Johnson originals: his rhythm and counting is very idiosyncratic: not only is he unlikely to stick to exactly 12 bars, but he may not change chord very clearly either; often he just hints at changes.
For the OP, I'd say rock versions of those songs are better for ear training purposes.

flier 10-17-2011 07:43 PM

yep
 
totally agree. the more you listen to him the more you realize what he was capable of doing.

That was why I mentioned Claptions sessions stuff. Lots of the songs are electrified and a bit for Rocked.

thanks for bringing that up:)

oldhippiegal 10-24-2011 12:45 PM

so many!

Try also Keb Mo's Whole Nutha’ Thang, which has the added benefit of being pretty funny.

Beatles One After 909

Any version of one of my favorite blues songs lately, Trouble in Mind

Lots of folk is three chord. Think...Goodnight Irene, stuff like that.

stanron 10-24-2011 12:58 PM

Isn't 'Trouble in mind' an 8 or 16 bar blues sequence.

I was thinking of mentioning it.

I, V, I, IV, I, V, I, V

2 bars of each for 16 bar blues.

oldhippiegal 10-24-2011 02:18 PM

oops, might be. I'll have to go listen or look!

MrDaew 10-25-2011 02:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by saneff (Post 2795027)
Guys I'm trying to follow chord progressions and learn to hear the I, IV, V etc in songs so I can pick it our by ear. So it was told 12 bar blues songs are one good way to start that.

Can anyone give me a few good 12 bar blues songs or know where I can go find them?

Red House
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1_9KOGaLXdg

HarleySpirit 10-25-2011 10:48 PM

Where can you find them?
Easy! Google some "free blues backing tracks for guitar" and download. I suggest you search for "rock blues" or "slow blues" tracks in the key of "E". Makes for a great learning tool for all. ;)


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