12 bar blues - finish

Hi. Going through the Blues lessons, a bit confused.

For 12 bar blues, the lessons with Anders explain that the 12 bar blues ends with a bar of the one chord, then a bar of the five chord. (The 11th and 12th bar).

But, as I get into the lessons with power chords, I noticed that it changes to ending with 2 bars of the one chord instead. This seems to happen in the lesson "Finding The 12 Bar Anywhere!".

Anders ends with two bars of the one chord instead of a one chord and a five chord. The only mention I can find in that video - He says "Some people go to the five chord right before it repeats, but you don't have to worry about that". So, he ends up with the 11th bar and 12th bar being the one chord.

Am I missing something? Or, is this just a variation?

Originally explained as:

One chord - 4 bars,

Four chord - 2 bars,

One chord - 2 bars,

Five chord - 1 bar,

Four chord - 1 bar,

One chord - 1 bar[br]Five chord, 1 bar

Then, changes to:

One chord - 4 bars,

Four chord - 2 bars,

One chord - 2 bars,

Five chord - 1 bar,

Four chord - 1 bar,

One chord - 2 bars

Thanks.

Hey Mark,

I am not much of a blues player but I do believe what you are seeing is simply an optional variation.

To explain:

In your first example, there's one bar of I chord, then a TURNAROUND bar of V chord. It gives it more momentum.

The second example (from Power Chords as riffs) just stays on I for two bars at the end, which is a bit less interesting!

There are slightly different things you can do with the 12-bar blues, so that's what's happening here. There are additional endings and turnarounds and variations that can be thrown in, depending on the song or situation or players.

I am sure someone with more specific blues knowledge can give you the correct term.

Here is the video referenced, by the way, for anyone else that is curious:

https://www.guitartricks.com/lesson.php?input=14427&s_id=936

-Carl.

Anders does explain the either/or resolve in one of the lessons. Sometimes ya have to rewind😊

Originally Posted by: Tinpan

Anders does explain the either/or resolve in one of the lessons. Sometimes ya have to rewind😊

i missed that. I was going back back through prior lessons, trying to find an explanation and couldn't. I'll see if I can find it,

NOTE - I've edited my original post, for clarification.

So, the twelfth/final bar can either be the five or the one chord?

Originally Posted by: MarkAller

So, the twelfth/final bar can either be the five or the one chord?

Yes. You just have to make sure everyone that is playing along knows what to expect in order to do the same thing. As Carl said, it just a optional variation.