The 12 bar blues gets its name from the fact that it
takes 12 bars before the chords repeat .This is a staple for playing the
blues.Use the 1-4and5 chords of the scale(the primary chords).To get that
true blues sound make them 7 chords.In the example below you are shown twelve
bars,each section with the numbers 1-2-3-4 is a single bar.The numbers
are simply a count to keep time.
The first time you run through this just play straight
up and down strokes so you would strum down-up-down-up for each bar.That
seems overly simple but it does show that this 12 bar progression sounds
like the blues no matter how you strum it.Here is a audio example of how
that would sound.
Audio
Now try to spice it up a little with your strum being sure to keep the time spent on each chord the same.Here is an example of what this progression can sound like.Audio .Remember just play with it till it sounds good!!