Better World 20

20 bars · 2 changes per bar · Originally associated with the song There Must Be a Better World Out There

Usage

There Must Be a Better World Out There - B. B. King (in B♭)

Summary

This 20-bar blues sequence expands well beyond the standard 12-bar shape, giving it a more through-composed feel while still keeping a clear blues character. After an early move to V7 in bar 2, it drops back to I7 and then makes the familiar shift to IV in bars 5–6, though bar 7 turns that area darker by changing to ivm7. From there, the harmony becomes more mobile: bar 8 moves to ♭VII7, leading to a iii-vi-ii-V in bars 9-12, and a I-vi-ii-V in Bars 13–17. The closing bars climb through I7, IV7, and V7, ending with two bars on the dominant, ready to go back to the top. For soloists, the form offers a balance of space and movement: a few longer chord areas let phrases breathe, while the mid-form and later turnarounds give plenty of harmonic detail to outline.