Meaning of 12 Bar Blues & letting the bass walk

[ImThatGuyToo]

Something has been plaguing me as I descend deeper and deeper into the world of blues. I have been taking 12 bar blues and walking bass lines for granted, as I'm sure many of you have. I want to know who we can credit for these indespensible attributes to Blues. Who's idea was it to let his bass walk, and who's idea was it that blues was meant to have 12 bars? Please shed some light on this issue for me! Thanks.

[bluesboy]

I don't know,

maybe searching the links here ::

or maybe

here, at this starting point

[edna]

Sounds to me like "who invented the blues"... hope you get a good answer...

[fightthepower]

um... twelve bar blues because... maybe it has 12 measures of soloing, chord progression, ect..

and bass walks when it doesnt stop and the rhythm is consistant like a twelve bar blues it is all one rhythm through out the song usually

[ImThatGuyToo]

Yeah, I know what they are... I want to know where they orignated. Thanks bluesboy for those links, they were helpful. Anyone have any other info on the subject?

[cadillac_coffin]

Twelve bar blues only indicates that there are 12 beats to a bar in a very simple chord progression of three chords. It is called a I, IV, V chord progression. For example, Johhny B. Goode is your basic 12 bar blues in the key of A. Crossorads by Cream, however, is the same three chords(A, D, and E) but is considered a 16 bar blues. Listen for the changes...they don't follow the same pattern. As to who invented it...good luck but it seems to me like it is basic music theory.