Bar 9 of the 12-bar blues is where the V chord arrives, and for many players it’s the moment when improvisation becomes uncertain — because the V chord sits slightly outside the comfortable territory of the minor pentatonic scale. Brick 8 gives you a concrete solution: a lick that steps just outside the scale to hit a chord tone of the V, making the harmony speak clearly.
What you’ll get out of this lesson: You’ll learn a lick that outlines the V chord at bar 9 of a 12-bar blues by introducing a single note from outside the minor pentatonic — a targeted chord tone that signals the harmonic change with real authority.
The V Chord in a 12-Bar Blues
In the key of E, the V chord is B — counting up: E, F, G, A, B. That chord appears at bar 9 and again at bar 12 of the standard 12-bar progression. The licks in this section are designed for bar 9, while the slightly shorter turnaround licks in Bricks 9 and 10 address bar 12. The V chord at bar 9 gives you a full bar to work with, which is why this brick has a bit more to say.
The Note That Makes It Work
The lick introduces a note from the B chord shape — a top note that sits just outside the minor pentatonic. In the key of E at this position, the sequence is: 12th fret of the B, 15th fret of the B, 12th fret of the high E, 14th fret of the high E. That extra note — the one borrowed from the V chord shape — is what makes the harmony speak. In any key, you can find this note by looking at the pentatonic shape and identifying the chord tone that sits nearby.
We’re changing from the minor pentatonic scale. We’re introducing this note here, which is a note from our 5 chord.
Placing It Correctly
Similar to Brick 7, this lick only works if you play it in the right place. It doesn’t make sense over the I or IV chord — it’s specifically designed for bar 9 when the V chord arrives. Nailing this will make you sound like you really know what you’re doing, but you have to place it correctly. Practise it over a backing track until landing it at bar 9 feels natural rather than calculated.
Taking it further: Once Bricks 7 and 8 are both solid, you’ll have chord-outlining licks for the IV (bar 5) and the V (bar 9) of a 12-bar blues. Try playing through a whole 12 bars using nothing but the bricks you’ve learned so far, responding to each chord change as it arrives.
Your homework: Find a 12-bar blues backing track in E at a slow tempo. Play through bars 1 to 8 with any pentatonic ideas you like, then insert Brick 8 cleanly at bar 9 every time it comes around. Once that feels reliable, start building the phrases leading into bar 9 so the lick arrives naturally rather than as a sudden switch.