Flute · Level 3 · Beginner
The 12-bar blues in A♭ major on Flute
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The 12-bar blues uses just I, IV and V in a fixed pattern that rock, jazz and soul musicians all share. Knowing the form lets you jam with anyone.
A♭
Notes: A♭ · C · E♭
D♭
Notes: D♭ · F · A♭
E♭
Notes: E♭ · G · B♭
HOW TO PRACTISE IT
Six steps to a clean loop.
- Play each chord as an arpeggio, one note at a time: A♭, D♭ and E♭. Press play on the card, then match each note.
- Keep a steady air stream between notes; for the higher notes, aim the air a little higher instead of blowing harder.
- Set the tempo to 53 BPM and play the progression with one chord per bar. Count bars aloud in groups of four: three lines of four bars each.
- Play the chord tones one at a time, one note per beat, tonguing each note lightly (“too”).
- Raise the tempo to 70 BPM once you can play the loop three times without stopping.
- Record one take, listen back and check for the turnaround in the last bar that sends you back to the top.
Listen for
Aim for the turnaround in the last bar that sends you back to the top. A common mistake is losing count during the four bars of I at the start.
Why it works
Each four-bar line has a job: establish home, move away to IV, then cadence through V and IV back to I.
A♭ major has 4 flats; its relative minor key is F minor.
Questions
What are the chords in I–IV–I–V–IV–I in A♭ major?
In A♭ major the progression is A♭ | A♭ | A♭ | A♭ | D♭ | D♭ | A♭ | A♭ | E♭ | D♭ | A♭ | E♭.
What is the key signature of A♭ major?
A♭ major has 4 flats. Its relative minor is F minor.
Is this lesson right for my level?
This is a level 3 lesson (beginner). If it feels too hard, start with “Playing in a minor key”.
Your hands learn faster than your eyes.
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