If most blues is just based on 3 chords and simple patterns, why don't people get tired of it quickly? One reason is that the basic patterns can be played with different rhythms or grooves as well as at different speeds (tempo). Over the years different patterns have emerged that help form the language of blues.
Shuffle - Medium Tempo with a Texas Swing flavor
Jump Blues with a West Coast Swing flavor
Country swing feel
A classic Chicago 'box shuffle' blues, with an ascending main riff referred to as an 'uptown' groove (a descending riff is known as downtown).
Simple shuffle with a "walking bass line" - that base line is what usually makes us think of a 'boogie' .
Good example of a mix of a boogie and a shuffle - note the 'bouncy' feel
Slow Blues
Slow blues with some extended changes and jazzier chords. Not to worry , your still in the same key and the same basic 12 bar pattern. This is a popular more modern variation of the straight I-IV-V with some extra chords.
Rock Beat
Note the emphasis on the 2 beat.
Fast Rock Boogie - Note the 'walking' base notes - they walk up the scale and then back down.
Piano driven boogie - left hand on the piano playing the bass notes.
Fast country 12 bar blues.
A peppy country blues - think Fulsom Prison blues.
Nice Country Honky Tonk style
Very fast Rockabilly - Note the boogie walking baseline , just played faster!
Rhumba Blues - Bands will often break things up with a latin rhythm with the Rhumba being the most popular . This one has a very peppy active bass player on it!
How about a Bossa Nova Blues? Despite the jazzy chords in this piece, the chord roots remain the same as our humble blues progression. Single notes around the middle of the harp sound best to me on this one, but your tastes may vary!
Rhumba Blues - Bands will often break things up with a latin rhythm with the Rhumba being the most popular . This one has a very peppy active bass player on it!
Another Rhumba in G
An uppeat latin swing but in G-Minor - You can play over minor chord changes in G , second postion, but some notes will clash with the feel of the minor jazzy feel.
Another latin number , but this time in D Minor. Yes you can play in D minor on your harmonica, but you won't be able to get the chords to sound right. Just for fun try single notes in the middle of the harp - you can make it sound pretty decent if you return to the 4 draw d note!
Ok , I will admit I dont know why this works so well with a C harmonica , but Im willing to find out. A very groovy 2 chord samba. Again , chords wont work here , but single notes sound very jazzy! Here we leave the patterns of blues land and enter the world of 2 chord jams.
Reggae Beat Blues - You may need to experiment with this one - The standard reggae progression uses a lot of the same chords as blues , but with a more somber feel and in a different order - again now we are moving from the straight blues and seeing variations.