Rockin' the Blues: Exploring the12 Bar Blues and its Link to Rock and Roll

Rockin' the Blues: Exploring the12 Bar Blues and its Link to Rock and Roll

Learning Objective

At the end of the lesson, you will be able to understand the 12 bar blues and its influence on rock and roll, as well as play beginner-level songs and chord progressions.

What do you already know about the 12 bar blues and its connection to rock and roll?

What is the 12 Bar Blues?

The 12 bar blues is a chord progression commonly used in blues and rock music. It consists of 12 measures, with each measure usually containing four beats.

Structure of the 12 Bar Blues

The 12 bar blues follows a specific structure: 4 measures of the I chord, 2 measures of the IV chord, 2 measures of the I chord, 1 measure of the V chord, 1 measure of the IV chord, and 2 measures of the I chord.

Link to Rock and Roll

The 12 bar blues is the foundation of many rock and roll songs. Artists like Elvis Presley, Chuck Berry, and The Rolling Stones incorporated the bluesy sound and structure into their music, helping popularize rock and roll.

Playing the 12 Bar Blues

Let's practice playing the 12 bar blues using beginner-level chords. Start with the I chord (e.g., E), then move to the IV chord (e.g., A), and finally the V chord (e.g., B). Repeat the progression for 12 measures.

Song Exploration: 'Johnny B. Goode'

Let's explore the iconic rock and roll song 'Johnny B. Goode' by Chuck Berry. It follows the 12 bar blues progression and features catchy guitar riffs.

Playing 'Johnny B. Goode'

Now, let's try playing 'Johnny B. Goode' together. Start with the familiar 12 bar blues progression, and then add the specific guitar riffs from the song.

Creating Your Own Blues Song

It's time to unleash your creativity! Use the 12 bar blues structure and experiment with different chords and melodies to compose your own blues song.

Write down 3 things you learned in this lesson.

Have students enter three things they learned in this lesson. With this they can indicate their own learning efficiency of this lesson.

Write down 2 things you want to know more about.

Here, students enter two things they would like to know more about. This not only increases involvement, but also gives them more ownership.

Ask 1 question about something you haven't quite understood yet.

The students indicate here (in question form) with which part of the material they still have difficulty. For the teacher, this not only provides insight into the extent to which the students understand/master the material, but also a good starting point for the next lesson.