Song practice guide

IntermediatebluesKey: C#m80 BPM4/4

How to Practice Born Under a Bad Sign

Albert King's 'Born Under a Bad Sign' (also famously covered by Cream) is one of the most-played minor-key blues standards. The driving rhythm, the iconic riff, and the swaggering lyric have made it a cornerstone of blues and rock repertoire.

Free tier: 3 collections · 15 songs each

Song Details

Key
C#m
Tempo
80 BPM
Time
4/4
Style
boom-chuck

Structure

Verse8 bars, played 2x

This song is still under copyright, so we publish its form rather than its chord chart. Add it to your library and you can enter or attach your own chart, and Repertoire will schedule it either way.

What to Focus On

Driving minor-key blues progression. The famous opening riff. Steady blues rhythm. Confident, swaggering vocal.

Practice Tips

  1. 1

    The opening riff is iconic. Master it cleanly.

  2. 2

    The minor-key feel is different from major blues. Learn the changes carefully.

  3. 3

    The vocal is meant to swagger. Don't sing it small.

Why This Song

It's the great minor blues standard, and a rock-blues mainstay.

Practice Born Under a Bad Sign Daily

Repertoire uses spaced repetition to keep your songs sharp. Add this song to your collection and the system schedules your practice automatically.

No credit card required • Free tier: 3 collections · 15 songs each