12–bar blues

Learning Intentions

  • We are learning to demonstrate musical understanding of a 12–bar blues chord sequence.
  • We are learning to develop our performance and improvising skills through the use of 12–bar blues.
  • We are learning to develop our composing skills through the use of 12–bar blues.
  • We are learning to demonstrate our understanding of 12–bar blues by making discrimination in listening activities.

What to look for

  • Pupils demonstrating knowledge and understanding of how chords are constructed and used
  • Pupils playing a 12–bar blues chord sequence
  • Pupils playing a blues melody
  • Pupils improvising fills
  • Pupils developing their own blues melodies
  • Pupils demonstrating aural perception during listening activities

Learning Activities

Ask the pupils what they know about chords and how we use them.

Give them an opportunity to play the chords of G major, C major and D major on the classroom instruments available, to recap on how the chords sound.

Introduce a 12–bar blues chord sequence. Explain its structure and demonstrate it. Give the pupils time to explore the chords using the chord sequence given.

Have the whole class perform the 12–bar blues chord sequence several times, to establish a firm understanding of it.

Give the pupils a blues melody (based on the blues scale) and play it together, as a whole class. 

Draw attention to the fact that the first and second lines are the same, and the third is different.

Ask them to play the melody again.

Then invite volunteers to improvise fills at the end of each melodic line, while the rest of the class continues to play the melody.

Give the pupils time to develop their own 12–bar blues melodies based on the blues scales.

Listen to their performances and take feedback from the pupils on the effectiveness of their performances.

Play a piece of music based predominantly on the 12–bar blues chord sequence, for example In the Mood by Glenn Miller.

Encourage the pupils to listen and comment discriminatingly. For example, you could ask them:

  • Is the chord pattern exactly the same?
  • Is there an introduction or does the chord pattern start straight away?
  • Does the key change?
  • How many times is the chord sequence repeated?