Blues Rhythms Archives

12 Bar Blues Ending

Every blues tune needs a finish, and there’s one ending that’s been standard for as long as anyone can remember — the semitone slide. You’ve…

The turnaround is what makes a 12-bar blues feel like it never ends — in the best way. It’s a small phrase at the end…

You’re 11 bars into a 12-bar blues, the groove is solid, and then what? Without a proper turnaround, the whole thing just sort of… stops.…

Every blues player hits that moment — you’re cruising through a 12-bar, the groove is locked in, and then bar 12 comes along. What do…

You know those two-note riffs that you hear driving the rhythm in pretty much every blues, rock, and country song? That’s the boogie pattern. Colin…

If there’s one riff that sounds like the blues, it’s the boogie. That walking, bouncing bass pattern you hear in every juke joint and roadhouse…

The shuffle strum is one of those things that separates blues guitar from everything else. It’s that lopsided, bouncy rhythm you hear in pretty much…

The boogie shuffle is one of those riffs that shows up everywhere. Blues, rock, country — you name it. It’s two notes working together to…

The 12-bar blues is the backbone of blues guitar. If you’re starting your journey into blues, this is where it all begins. It’s a simple…

You know what’s in every blues song, every rock track, and just about every country tune you’ve ever heard? A rhythm pattern that works. And…