Here are some essential blues guitar chords in a 12 bar format in the key of E. This progression is a I-IV-V progression, and the blues guitar chords we’re working with are E7, A7, and B7. Hundreds of popular blues songs have been written using just these three chords, including classics like Stevie Ray Vaughan’s “Pride and Joy” and Johnny Cash’s “Folsom Prison Blues.”
If you want to solo over this progression, use the E pentatonic minor scale—either open position or at the 12th fret are great places to start.
In the video lesson below, Colin walks you through each chord shape step-by-step, shows you the proper fingerings, and demonstrates how to put them all together into the classic 12 bar blues progression. Check out our guide on E pentatonic minor scale. For lead work over these chords, explore the E pentatonic minor scale.
Understanding the Blues Chords in E
The thing you need to know about the blues is that it’s an “in-between” kind of thing. To play real blues, you use minor scale relationships with dominant 7th chords. When you’re in E blues, your scale is E pentatonic minor, but your chords are E7, A7, and B7—all dominant seventh chords built on major chord shapes.
This creates that unique blues sound—that tension between the minor feel of the scale and the dominant 7th quality of the chords. It’s what gives blues its character.
E7 and A7 are pretty straightforward chords to finger, but you might find the B7 a bit of a challenge at first. These are all very common blues guitar chords though, so it’s worth your time to practice getting these chord formations down pat. Once you’ve got them under your fingers, you’ll be able to play hundreds of blues songs.
How to Play E7
The E7 chord is simple and essential—it’s the first chord you should learn if you really want to play blues guitar. Start with an E major chord (first finger on the third string, second and third fingers on the fourth and fifth strings). To make it E7, just take your third finger off. That’s it!
You can embellish this E7 by adding your pinky on the second string, third fret. This creates extra movement and gives the E7 a little more force and character, which is really common in blues rhythm playing. You’ll hear this kind of thing all over blues recordings.
When playing the E7, make sure to hit that low E string—that’s the root of the chord and you need it for the full sound. Strum all six strings and let it ring.
How to Play A7
For the A7 chord, use this fingering: second finger on the fourth string, second fret. Skip the G string (leave it open), then place your finger on the B string, second fret. Play all five strings from the A string down.
Important: Don’t play the low E string when strumming A7—it gets too droning and muddy. Some players use a different fingering (like taking an E major shape and moving it over, then lifting the second finger), but that form is cramped and doesn’t line up as well with the E pentatonic minor scale that you’ll use for soloing.
The fingering Colin shows you in the video keeps everything lined up nicely with the scale positions, which makes it easier to add little embellishments and fills between your chord changes.
For a more advanced texture down the road, you can play the Stevie Ray Vaughan-style A7 as a small barre chord, which adds extra voicing to the chord. But start with the simpler version first.
How to Play B7
The B7 chord is the hardest of the three, but it’s a well-used chord that’s worth mastering. It shows up all over the place in blues, rock, and country music. Here’s the fingering:
- First finger on the fourth string, first fret
- Second finger on the fifth string, second fret
- Third finger on the third string, second fret (skip over the fourth string)
- Pinky on the first string, second fret
- Let the B string (second string) ring open
This creates that classic B7 sound. There’s also a barre chord version higher up the neck, but this open position B7 is your best bet when you’re first tackling the 12 bar blues progression. It’s got a brighter, more open sound that works great for blues.
Take your time with this one—it can feel a bit awkward at first, but once you get it, it becomes second nature.
The 12 Bar Blues Progression in E
Once you’ve got your chord formations down, here’s how to put them together into the classic 12 bar blues progression. This is the foundation of countless blues, rock, and country songs:
Bars 1-4: E7 (four bars)
Bars 5-6: A7 (two bars)
Bars 7-8: E7 (two bars)
Bar 9: B7 (one bar)
Bar 10: A7 (one bar)
Bars 11-12: E7 (two bars)
Count it like this: “One, two, three, four, two, two, three, four…” and so on. Each number represents a bar, and you typically play four beats per bar in a standard shuffle or straight rhythm.
Once you get to bar 12, you just loop back around to bar 1 and start the whole thing over again. That’s why it’s called a “progression”—it progresses through the changes and then repeats.
Tips for Playing Blues Rhythm
When you’re playing blues rhythm guitar, think about dynamics and feel. The blues isn’t just about getting the chords right—it’s about how you play them. Add those embellishments Colin shows you in the video, like the pinky on the second string during E7. Let your rhythm breathe a little bit.
And don’t forget—this same 12 bar progression works in any key. Once you’ve learned it in E, you can transpose it to A, G, or any other key using the same I-IV-V pattern. But E is a great place to start because it sits right in the middle of the guitar’s range and uses a lot of open strings.
Next Steps
Once you’re comfortable with these three chords and the 12 bar progression, you can start adding in some lead work using the E pentatonic minor scale. That’s where things really start to get fun—you can trade off between rhythm and lead, or play rhythm and sing over top of it.
For more blues lessons and guitar chord progressions, check out our Guitar Chords section, or dive deeper inside the Riff Ninja Guitar School where we’ve got full courses on blues guitar, rhythm playing, and soloing.
