Tutorial: How to Play Easy 12 Bar Beginner Blues in A Major
It’s easier than you think!
Lesson 2 - The 12 Bar Blues Progression in A Major
Today, you’ll get hands-on with the classic 12-bar blues progression in A major, a foundation used across blues, rock, jazz, and pop.
We’ll break the form down so it feels simple and musical, helping you hear the pattern as clearly as you play it. Then you can start developing the confidence to jump into jams and play with others.
This second lesson focuses on clarity and repetition. By the end, you won’t just know the 12-bar blues - you’ll feel it, recognize it, and be ready to use it in real songs!
We’ll be covering:
1. The 12-Bar Blues in A Major
2. Easy-Peasy I–IV–V Chord Magic
3. Playing the Blues like Robert Johnson!
1. The 12-Bar Blues in A Major
Think of the 12-bar blues as your favorite cozy sweater - it fits well, feels good, and goes with everything. It’s a simple chord pattern that repeats every 12 measures, and it's been the foundation of thousands (and we mean thousands) of songs.
We’re going to start playing the blues in A Major with these three simple chords:
The three main chords (I, IV, V) in A major are: A7, D7, and E7.
Have a go at strumming them in this order (remember, each section stands for 4 beats in a bar).
A7 | A7 | A7 | A7 |
D7 | D7 | A7 | A7 |
E7 | D7 | A7 | E7
Top Tip: Try strumming with your thumb and finger alternately. The key is moving between the chords with a relaxed groove.
Challenge: Let’s take it up a notch and practice strumming your new Blues sequence to this simple 12 Bar Blues Soundtrack:
Hey, you’re playing the blues!
2. Easy-Peasy I–IV–V Chord Magic
So, what’s the secret behind that 12-bar blues pattern? The I–IV–V chord progression.
Let’s break it down uke-style:
Here’s our chord progression in the key of A major:
• I (first chord)= A7 The tonic or root chord, establishing the key.
• IV(fourth chord)= D7 The subdominant, creating tension and a change of harmony.
• V (fifth chord)= E7 The dominant, adding further tension and a pull towards the resolution of the tonic as you return to the A7 chord.
It’s more simple than it sounds! Practice changing between A7, D7 & E7 and just jam along:
3. Let’s Play the Blues – Robert Johnson Style!
Ok, this is where we take everything you’ve learned so far and play a song!
Why ‘The 32 – 20 Blues’ by Robert Johnson is the perfect song to practice with:
✅ The song is in the key of A, using A7, D7 and E7 (classic blues I, IV, V) which we’ve just been learning about.
✅ As a ukulele player, you’re stepping into a piece of blues history - and translating that raw, solo-guitar feel into your four-string instrument.
✅ While Robert Johnson’s version stretches and waxes outside a rigid 12-bar form, it does follow the basic 12-bar-ish blues structure.
✅ It’s fun to play - that driving ‘I got my 32-20’ moment has attitude even on ukulele!
‘32 - 20 Blues’ by Robert Johnson
Intro E7 D7 A7
Verse 1
If I [A7]send for my baby, man, and she don't come
[D7]Send for my baby, man, and she don't [A7]come
All the [E7]doctors in Hot Springs [D7]sure can't help her, [A7]none
Verse 2
If she [A7]gets unruly, thinks she don’t want you
If she [D7]gets unruly, thinks she don’t want [A7]you
Take my [E7]32-20, now and [D7]break her half in [A7]two
Verse 3
She got a [A7].38 special but I believe it's much too light
She got a [D7].38 special but I believe it's much too [A7]light
I got a [E7]32-20, [D7]makes the camp al- [A7]right
Verse 4
If I [A7]send for my baby, man, and she don't come
[D7]Send for my baby, man, and she don't [A7]come
All the [E7]doctors in Hot Springs [D7]sure can't help her, [A7]none
Verse 5
Gonna [A7]shoot my pistol, shoot my Gatling gun
Gonna [D7]shoot my pistol, shoot my Gatling [A7]gun
You [E7]made me love you, [D7]now your man has [A7]come
Verse 6
If I [A7]send for my baby, man, and she don't come
[D7]Send for my baby, man, and she don't [A7]come
All the [E7]doctors in Hot Springs [D7]sure can't help her, [A7]none
Verse 7
[A7]Oh, baby, where’d you stay last night?
[D7]Oh, baby, where’d you stay last [A7]night?
You got your [E7]hair all tangled and [D7]you ain’t talking[A7]right
Verse 8
Her [A7].38 special, boy, it do well
Her [D7].38 special, boy, it do [A7]well
I got a [E7]32-20 now, [D7]it's a burning [A7]hell
Instrumental A7 D7 A7 E7 D7 A7
Verse 9
If I [A7]send for my baby, man, and she don't come
[D7]Send for my baby, man, and she don't [A7]come
All the [E7]doctors in Hot Springs [D7]sure can't help her, [A7]none
Verse 10
[A7]Hey, baby, where’d you stay last night?
[D7]Hey, baby, where’d you stay last [A7]night?
[E7]Didn’t come home ’till the [D7]sun was shining [A7]bright
Verse 11
Oh, [A7]boy, I just can't take my rest
Oh, [D7]boy, I just can't take my [A7]rest
With this [E7]32-20 laying [D7]up and down my [A7]breast
👉 Go to the full version of ‘32-20 Blues’
Your Practice Mission:
Set aside one hour this week to:
Warm up , revisit the chords and the intro.
Play through one verse of ‘32-20 Blues’ (chords + rhythm) twice.
Record yourself (phone voice memo) and listen back - notice timing and groove.
Try a bit of chuck strumming to spice it up a bit!
Play along to the original soundtrack below ⬇️
By the end of the hour you’ll have a solid foundation on ‘32-20 Blues’ - and you’ll be ready to take liberties, add your flair, and really make it yours.
🎵 Want to sing it? Even better. The blues is all about feeling, so don’t worry about sounding perfect - just let it flow.
✨Before We Go…
Today you played the blues in A Major!
Together we have learned:
✅ To play the 12-bar blues using A7, D7 and E7
✅ All about the I–IV–V chord progression
✅ How to strum the blues – Robert Johnson style!
Until next time…
Happy Strumming 😊
🚀 What’s Next?
IN LESSON 3: THAT BLUESY SOUND
What You’ll Learn
➡️ What Is The Shuffle Strum?
➡️ The Shuffle Strum Pattern
➡️ Try It With A Song!
➡️ Songs That Love The Shuffle Strum
