12 Bar Blues Tab

The super-basic 12 bar blues progression is as follows:
I  I  I  I
IV IV I  I
V  IV I  I
 
The following shape/pattern (kinda looks like an Em shape) can be moved anywhere along the neck.
Here's what it looks like in the key of A:
 
  A7         A7        A7        A7
e|---------------------------------------|
G|---------------------------------------|
B|---------------------------------------|
D|---7-5-------7-5-------7-5-------7-5---|
A|-------7---------7---------7---------7-|
E|-5---------5---------5---------5-------|
 
  D7         D7        A7        A7
e|---------------------------------------|
G|---------------------------------------|
B|---7-5-------7-5-----------------------|
D|-------7---------7-----7-5-------7-5---|
A|-5---------5---------------7---------7-|
E|---------------------5---------5-------|
 
  E7         D7        A7        A7
e|---------------------------------------|
G|---------------------------------------|
B|---9-7-------7-5-----------------------|
D|-------9---------7-----7-5-------7-5---|
A|-7---------5---------------7---------7-|
E|---------------------5---------5-------|
 
That's the basic pattern. The individual notes can be varied infinitely beyond this basic pattern.
 
~~~
 
To make things more interesting, replace the last two bars with a turnaround.
Note that the basic blues turnaround puts a V (here an E) in the final (12th) bar.
 
  E7         D7        A7        E7
e|---------------------------------------|
G|---------------------------------------|
B|---9-7-------7-5-----------------7--7--|
D|-------9---------7---------------6--6--|
A|-7---------5-----------4-5-6-7---7--7--|
E|---------------------5-----------------|
 
There are infinitely many turnarounds that can be played. That was a basic ascending one.
 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 
Here's the standard boogie woogie bassline that can accompany, or replace, pieces of the above.
The following shape/pattern (kinda looks like a C shape) can be moved anywhere along the neck.
Here's what it looks like in the key of A:
 
  A7                A7               A7               A7
e|--------------------------------------------------------------------|
G|--------------------------------------------------------------------|
B|--------------------------------------------------------------------|
D|-----2-4-5-4-2--------2-4-5-4-2--------2-4-5-4-2--------2-4-5-4-2---|
A|---4-----------4----4-----------4----4-----------4----4-----------4-|
E|-5----------------5----------------5----------------5---------------|
 
  D7                D7               A7               A7
e|--------------------------------------------------------------------|
G|--------------------------------------------------------------------|
B|-----2-4-5-4-2--------2-4-5-4-2-------------------------------------|
D|---4-----------4----4-----------4------2-4-5-4-2--------2-4-5-4-2---|
A|-5----------------5------------------4-----------4----4-----------4-|
E|-----------------------------------5----------------5---------------|
 
  E7                D7               A7               A7
e|--------------------------------------------------------------------|
G|--------------------------------------------------------------------|
B|-----4-6-7-6-4--------2-4-5-4-2-------------------------------------|
D|---6-----------6----4-----------4------2-4-5-4-2--------2-4-5-4-2---|
A|-7----------------5------------------4-----------4----4-----------4-|
E|-----------------------------------5----------------5---------------|
 
As before, the 11th and/or 12th bars can be replaced with a turnaround.
Note: the highest note in each bar sounds good as a bend (or slide) from the previous note.
 
 
 
 
*The basic blues pattern comes from Sean Daniels on YouTube:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=mKWAQf0JsaQ
 
*The boogie woogie bassline, and other basic info, comes from the Wikipedia page:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twelve-bar_blues
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