Banjo · Level 7 · Advanced

The minor blues on Banjo

i–iv–i–♭VI7–V7–i in all 12 keys.

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THE SHORT ANSWER

The minor blues follows the familiar 12-bar shape with minor seventh chords and a ♭VI7–V7 approach. It is a core jazz and blues form.

Choose a key

C minorCm7 · Cm7 · Cm7 · Cm7C♯ minorC♯m7 · C♯m7 · C♯m7 · C♯m7D minorDm7 · Dm7 · Dm7 · Dm7E♭ minorE♭m7 · E♭m7 · E♭m7 · E♭m7E minorEm7 · Em7 · Em7 · Em7F minorFm7 · Fm7 · Fm7 · Fm7F♯ minorF♯m7 · F♯m7 · F♯m7 · F♯m7G minorGm7 · Gm7 · Gm7 · Gm7G♯ minorG♯m7 · G♯m7 · G♯m7 · G♯m7A minorAm7 · Am7 · Am7 · Am7B♭ minorB♭m7 · B♭m7 · B♭m7 · B♭m7B minorBm7 · Bm7 · Bm7 · Bm7

Listen first: C minor

Cm7

C minor seventh

Notes: C · E♭ · G · B♭

gDGBD♭♭

Fm7

F minor seventh

Notes: F · A♭ · C · E♭

×gDGBD♭♭

A♭7

A♭ dominant seventh

Notes: A♭ · C · E♭ · G♭

4fr×gDGBD♭♭♭

G7

G dominant seventh

Notes: G · B · D · F

gDGBD
1
Cm7
2
Cm7
3
Cm7
4
Cm7
5
Fm7
6
Fm7
7
Cm7
8
Cm7
9
A♭7
10
G7
11
Cm7
12
G7

Why it works

♭VI7 is a tritone substitute for the V7 of V, leading by half step into V7.

On another instrument

The minor blues on Guitar →The minor blues on Piano →The minor blues on Ukulele →The minor blues on Mandolin →The minor blues on Violin →The minor blues on Flute →

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