12-Bar Blues Piano Lesson

Introduction

So, I'm going to just play around the whole 12 bars so you can have a listen to the main feel of the tune.

Count: 2 1, 2, 3, 4.

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Breaking It Down

Let's start breaking it down and look at that piano part.

Right Hand

• In the right hand, we're simply playing triads with the third on the top.

Left Hand

• In the left hand, we are essentially outlining a kind of C6 chord, always playing the bottom C with it, which gives it a nice sort of weight.
• We play those chords on the downbeats, while the right hand plays on the upbeats (the off beats).

Chord Progression

When we move up to chord four:

• The right hand plays the inversion of F, while the left hand continues as it had been on chord one (the chord of C).

• There's a nice lead-up to chord 4, which adds direction.

• Chord Progression Summary:

  • Chord 1: C
  • Chord 4: F
  • Chord 1: C
  • Chord 5: G (1 bar)
  • Chord 4: F (1 bar)
  • Chord 1: C (2 bars) with a turnaround (which we'll look at in due course).

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Feel and Rhythm

Is It Straight or Swung?

So, there are a few things we should talk about regarding this feel.

• Question: Is it straight? Is it swung? Is it a shuffle?
  Let's have a listen.

It's slightly swung, isn't it? It almost sounds a bit like ska or something. It's definitely swung, but not really dotted.

Listening Practice

• Have a listen to how Jerry Lee plays it and try to find that nice balance of how long or how dotted you make that feel.
• It's kind of a heavily swung feel, which I describe as somewhere in the middle:
  • The bass is quite heavy, but it's not overpowering.
  • Likewise, the right hand is quite solid, but it's not rigid.

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Articulation

• Listen to how Jerry Lee articulates the notes:
  • Is he playing long notes or short notes?
  • He strikes a balance, embodying a smoothness with a nice fat bottom end.

The Importance of Original Recordings

This is crucial in rock and roll; it gives a solid foundation at the bottom end. I can't emphasize enough how important it is to listen to the original recordings and recreate those feels.

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Anticipating Chord Changes

There's something quite interesting that helps propel the music along:

• Jerry Lee often anticipates the chord change with the right hand.

For example:

• If we are going from C to F, notice how it happens just before the beat.

Here's a quick demonstration:

• Two bars of C going up to F...

Practice Tips

• So, if you can try to practice that and get it down, that's a good starting point for playing this song.
• Essentially, all the verses are more or less the same with a couple of little embellishments we'll look at as we go along.

Using a Metronome

• If you're finding it difficult to play that figure at speed, use a metronome. Start at half speed.
• As you feel comfortable, you can increase the tempo gradually.

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Identifying Trouble Spots

You might find that you come unstuck when changing chords.

• Practice going between two chord changes, like from 5 to 4.

Momentum and Flow

Notice when Jerry Lee moves from the I chord to the IV chord with that run-up, he plays it a little heavier, providing momentum to go.

• It's all about making the music flow; it's not just about mechanically playing the notes, it's about how the music is breathing.

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Conclusion

This approach is a testament to Jerry Lee's all-around musicality. He is truly an incredible piano player and musician.