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12 Bar Blues In E: Easy Guitar Chords

Here are easy-to-learn guitar chords for playing a 12 bar blues in the key of E. Shows you the structure of the tune and the guitar tab. This lesson will have you playing the blues in a few minutes.

The 12 bar blues progression is centered on the below format and its variations:

E5 | E5 | E5 | E5 |
A5 | A5 | E5 | E5 |
B5 | A5 | E5 | E5, C5-B5 |

Read the progression from left to right. So the first bar consists of an E5 chord.

An E5 chord is the most basic chord you can play. The chord is made up of just the Root and the 5th notes from the E Major scale. The interval from the Root to the 5th is also called a Perfect 5th.

Here is the guitar tab for the E5 chord:

E|-----
B|-----
G|-----
D|-----
A|--2--
E|--0--

Bars 1 through to 4 all use the E5 chord.
Bars 4 and 5 use an A5 chord.

Here is the tab for the A5 chord:

E|-----
B|-----
G|-----
D|--2--
A|--0--
E|-----

Bars 7 and 8 go back to the E5 chord and then bar 9 moves to the B5 chord.

Here is the tab for the B5 chord:

E|-----
B|-----
G|-----
D|--4--
A|--2--
E|-----

Bar 10 takes us back to the A5 chord. Bar 11 to the E5 chord and then bar 12 plays an E5 chord on the first beat of the bar and then plays a C5 chord down to the B5 chord to turn around the progression.

Here is the tab for the C5 chord:

E|-----
B|-----
G|-----
D|--5--
A|--3--
E|-----

You should play the progression above while tapping your foot. It's very important that you play with a good sense of time and know where the beat is as this will help you feel the music.

It is as simple a progression as you will come across which is a bit of a trap. Just because the chords are basic you need to put both feel and groove into the song. Blues is all about playing from your heart and soul. It takes a lot of practice to be able to really lay down a good feel when you are playing blues, especially when you are just starting out. It's not something that you'll get over night - you need to listen to blues players, hear the groove they play with and pay attention to the rhythm you are playing each time that you pick up the guitar.

As well as understanding the feel, you also need to be able to control what your left and right hands are doing. You can mute strings with both your left and right hands as well as use various levels of attack with your pick and or fingers with your strumming hand. Experiment, play, listen, practice and practice some more. Above all, have fun!