Five Levels of Blues

other variations on jazz-blues form

1. basic jazz blues

| F7 | Bb7 | F7 | Cm7 F7 |
| Bb7 | Bb7 | F7 | D7 |
| Gm7 | C7 | F7 D7 | Gm7 C7 |

2. Count Basie-type jazz blues

| F7 | Bb7 Bdim7 | F7 | Cm7 F7 |
| Bb7 | Bdim7 | F7 | D7b9 |
| Gm7 | C7 | F7 | C7 |

3. Bebop blues

| F7 | Bb7 | F7 | Cm7 F7 |
| Bb7 | Bdim7 | F7 | Am7b5 D7b9 |
| Gm7 | C7 | Am7b5 D7 | Gm7 C7 |

4. Tritone substitution into Bb7

| F7 | Bb7 | F7 | F#m7 B7 |
| Bb7 | Bdim7 | F7 | Am7b5 D7 |
| Gm7 | C7 | F7 D7 | Gm7 C7 |

5. Whole-tone ascent through bars 1–4

| F7 | G7 | A7 | B7 |
| Bb7 | Bdim7 | F7 | Am7b5 D7 |
| Gm7 | C7 | F7 D7 | Gm7 C7 |

6. Whole-tone descent through bars 1–4

| F7 | Eb7 | Db7 | B7 |
| Bb7 | Bdim7 | F7 | Am7b5 D7 |
| Gm7 | C7 | F7 D7 | Gm7 C7 |

7. II V using backdoor dominant in bar 6

| F7 | Bb7 | F7 | Cm7 F7 |
| Bb7 | Bbm7 Eb7 | F7 | Am7b5 D7 |
| Gm7 | C7 | F7 D7 | Gm7 C7 |

8. Tritone II V in bar 6

| F7 | Bb7 | F7 | Cm7 F7 |
| Bb7 | Bm7 E7 | F7 | Am7b5 D7 |
| Gm7 | C7 | F7 D7 | Gm7 C7 |

9. Chromatically descending dominants in bars 7–8

| F7 | Bb7 | F7 | Cm7 F7 |
| Bb7 | Bdim7 | F7 E7 | Eb7 D7 |
| Gm7 | C7 | F7 D7 | Gm7 C7 |

10. I IV III VI movement in bars 7–8

| F7 | Bb7 | F7 | Cm7 F7 |
| Bb7 | Bdim7 | F7 Bb7 | Am7b5 D7 |
| Gm7 | C7 | F7 D7 | Gm7 C7 |

11. Tritone substitution in bar 10

| F7 | Bb7 | F7 | Cm7 F7 |
| Bb7 | Bdim7 | F7 | Am7b5 D7 |
| Gm7 | Gb7 | F7 D7 | Gm7 C7 |

12. Stablemates approach in bars 9–10

| F7 | Bb7 | F7 | Cm7 F7 |
| Bb7 | Bdim7 | F7 | Am7b5 D7 |
| Abm7 Db7 | Gm7 C7 | F7 D7 | Gm7 C7 |

13. Moment’s Notice approach in bars 9–10

| F7 | Bb7 | F7 | Cm7 F7 |
| Bb7 | Bdim7 | F7 | Am7b5 D7 |
| F#m7 B7 | Gm7 C7 | F7 D7 | Gm7 C7 |

14. All-dominant cycle turnaround

| F7 | Bb7 | F7 | Cm7 F7 |
| Bb7 | Bdim7 | F7 | Am7b5 D7 |
| Gm7 | C7 Bb7 | A7 D7 | G7 C7 |

15. Long dominant fourth-cycle into the IV chord

| F#7 B7 | E7 A7 | D7 G7 | C7 F7 |
| Bb7 | Bdim7 | F7 | Am7b5 D7 |
| Gm7 | C7 | F7 D7 | Gm7 C7 |

16. Tritone-altered turnaround / chromatic descent

| F7 | Bb7 | F7 | Cm7 F7 |
| Bb7 | Bdim7 | F7 | Am7b5 D7 |
| Gm7 | C7 Bb7 | A7 Ab7 | G7 Gb7 |

17. Lady Bird blues turnaround

| F7 | Bb7 | F7 | Cm7 F7 |
| Bb7 | Bdim7 | F7 | Am7b5 D7 |
| Gm7 | C7 | F7 Ab7 | Db7 Gb7 |

18. Full tritone-substitution blues

| F7 | Bb7 | F7 | Cm7 F7 |
| Bb7 | Bm7 E7 | F7 E7 | Eb7 D7b9 |
| Gm7 | C7 Bb7 | Am7b5 D7 | Gm7 C7 |

19. Bird blues

| Fmaj7 | Em7b5 A7 | Dm7 G7 | Cm7 F7 |
| Bb7 | Bbm7 Eb7 | Am7 D7 | Abm7 Db7 |
| Gm7 | C7 | F D7 | Gm7 C7 |

20. Giant Steps / Countdown changes

| F7 | Bb7 | F7 | Cm7 F7 |
| Bb7 | Bdim7 | F7 | Am7b5 D7 |
| Gm7 Ab7 | Dbmaj7 E7 | Amaj7 C7 | F7 C7 |

21. long dominant fourth cycle

| F7 | Bb7 | F7 | Cm7 F7 |
| Bb7 | Bdim7 | F7 | Am7b5 D7 |
| F#7 B7 | E7 A7 | D7 G7 | C7 F7 |

logo for Guitar Lessons Myrtle Beach

Useful Links

Contact Us

©2025 – Guitar Lessons in Myrtle Beach, SC