Blues 12-bar blues progression on cavaquinho
What is the Blues 12-bar blues progression?
The Blues 12-bar blues progression is E, A, E, B, A and E (I–IV–I–V–IV–I), in the key of E major. Read as harmonic function it moves tonic → subdominant → tonic → dominant → subdominant → tonic, arriving home on a cadence. Play one chord per bar and let it loop.
Play any song you love and it does this: leaves home, takes a walk, and at the right moment somebody yells "come back!". This progression is that route, road sign by road sign: E (I, home) → A (IV, the stroll) → E (I, home) → B (V, time to come back) → A (IV, the stroll) → E (I, home). Hit play and follow with your finger on the names — when you reach the chord marked "time to come back", notice your own body waiting for E — the home chord.
Cavaquinho
Its chords sound tight and punchy; instead of holding long shapes, it keeps the beat moving with short, repeated strums. In pop, rock or blues the cavaquinho is an unusual guest; it adds a bright, chopping rhythm layer, but it can't cover the low end a band expects. Its home chord E keeps its lowest note on E and rings 1 open string.
Cadences: Harmony comes to rest here: hear cadences on the neck, 9 free and another one each week · open in Chord and Fret
Save this progression in Chord and FretReharmonize: Want richer substitutions? Reharmonize's Subtle and Medium levels are free; Bold and Jazz are part of Pro · use it in Chord and Fret
Learn each chord of the trip
This is one shape of E. In the app, every chord in this progression comes with its other shapes and audio, free. Open in Chord and Fret →
Metronome: Drill this change in time, with tap tempo and subdivisions · see it in Chord and Fret