Night After Night

Night After Night is an original 12 bar blues in the key of F written and performed by my
band, Mojomama.
I decided to turn this tune into a lesson based on questions that I received at a recent
workshop. Seems that several people wanted to know how to play rhythm on a 12 bar
blues. It also dawned on me that they were looking for a repeatable pattern, a cookie
cutter if you will, that could be plugged in and used in a variety of situations.
I also realized that in most courses and lessons, that is exactly the approach that is
taken. Typically, you are given a rhythmic pattern of some sort and told to play it in
every measure. Its simple, it works and it sounds ok, but its not really the way things
work in the real world.
In an actual musical setting, you have the freedom to draw from everything in your trick
bag to keep things musical and interesting. With just a handful of these devices, you
can create all kinds of variations that sound great.
In a slow blues they can consist of the voicings that you use, intervals like 6ths, a shuffle pattern and a well placed pentatonic fill. As you work through these 2 choruses and
the intro to Night After Night keep an eye out for these ideas and more.
I will provide some commentary to help you out. The TAB for the music starts on page

The Intro
As is typical with many a 12 bar blues, Night After Night starts on the V chord for the
intro. Notice how I make the C7 chord prevalent here by including the note E, which is
the 3rd of the chord.
On the IV chord in measure I outline the Bb7 chord and use a couple of neighbor tones
to surround the 3rd and use a passing tone to get from the root to the b7.
In the 3rd measure when the tune hits the turnaround and the I chord I play a fairly typical blues lick. In measure four I outline the chords again with the 3rds which is the note
A in the F7 chord and the E in the C7 chord.
Also, notice the chromatic line that starts on beat 4 and goes C, B, Bb and then ends
up on A which is the 3rd of the F7 chord in measure 5 which is also the top of the form.

The Tune
When I get to the top of the form and start playing chords, you get insight into the way
I approach harmony right away, a two, three and four note voicing. One thing I might
add, you will not see a barre chord anywhere in the TAB!

F7

F9

7th

7th

1
2

Using 2 notes to outline the F7 chord.

Using 3 notes to outline the F9 chord.

Bb13
6th

1
2
3

Using 4 notes to outline the Bb13 chord.

As you see, and there is plenty more coming, these simple voicing sound great. I have
and entire course called Jazzin Up The Blues where I explore these 2, 3 and 4 note
voiced chords in depth. In interested you can learn more by clicking here.

In measure 9 I once again play a typical riff that is based on a F7 chord.

F7
3rd

1
2
3

You can see that 2 notes from the F7 chords above are eliminated to create the F7 riff.
You hear that one played a lot in solos too.
In measure 10 I play one of my favorite voicings for a dominant 7th chord. It may be a
bit different that what you are used to but it sounds good to my ear. Its what is known
as a close voicing and has the chord tones b7, root and 3rd.
Bb7
1

3rd

At the end of measure 10 and the beginning of measure 11 I use another blues cliche
with the following 3 note voicing that work for the Bb7 chord.
Bb7
6th

Eb
1

6th

2
3

3 3

In measure 12 its back to the F7 chord. This time I arpeggiate the chord to add some
interest.
In bar 13 I use the same chords that I used a couple of measures back over the Bb7
chord. Notice the little single note idea thats tossed in there too.
Then in measure 14 I arpeggiate a C7 chord, the V, and then the Bb or IV chord in 15.

C7

C7
1

1st

1 1

3rd

1
2

In bar 16 the turnaround starts and its back to the 2 note voicings and in measure 17 I
arpeggiate a C7#5 chord.

C7#5
8th

2
3

The second chorus come in on bar 18 with the following voicing of an F13.
F13
7th

1
2

Check out the way this chord was approached from a half step above in the previous
measure. As a general rule any chord can be approached from a half step above or
below and it sounds killer!
In fact, I use the same device to get to the Bb13 chord in measure 19. Check it out.

Bb13
6th

1
2
3

Its back to the F13 in measures 20 and 21. Listen to the rhythm here as the chord is
syncopated. It helps to propel the song forward and create a little intensity.
Measure 22 is back to the same voicing for the Bb7 that we used at the beginning of
the song. I would like to point out that these chords are all 4 notes voicings and have
some nice added extensions like 9ths and 13ths.

In bar 23 I play a typical shuffle rhythm but in a simpler form that uses only 2 notes at a
time.
Bb7
3rd

Bb7

3rd

Bb7

3rd

3
4

Measure 24 starts of with an arpeggiation of the F7 chord that is very similar to a song
by the BEATLES. I then work my way back down to the first fret and play a bluesy fill to
lead into the C7. Once again the C7 is arpeggiated.
In measures 27-29 I use the following voicings for the F7, Bb7 and C7 respectively.
F7

Bb7
1

6th

6th

C7
3

6th

2
3
4

Listen to the dynamics in the final 2 measures. We are getting louder here to set up the
dynamic change moving into the guitar solo.
That wraps up this lesson and I hope you see the value in these simple 2, 3 and 4 note
chord voicings. Once again, they are cover in depth in my course Jazzin Up The Blues/
If this kind of playing interests you click here to learn more.
Best Wishes,
Bob