While Afro-Cuban music often adheres strictly to a "Clave" pattern, Bossa Nova is slightly more flexible. However, it relies heavily on a rhythmic cell that is often referred to as the Bossa Clave.
The air in the small Rio de Janeiro apartment was thick with the scent of saltwater and strong coffee. bossa nova guitar rhythm pattern pdf
Bossa Nova traditionally uses a steady, non-syncopated bassline mimicking the Surdo drum in a samba school. A good PDF should show the thumb playing on beats 1 and 3 (in time) or beats 1 and 2 (in time), often alternating between the root and the 5 raised to the th power of the chord. The Chord Layer (The Fingers): While Afro-Cuban music often adheres strictly to a
Your thumb plays on beat 1 and the & of beat 2 (the "a" of 2, depending on your counting). In the tab above, the thumb hits the low A string (3rd fret) on beat 1, and the low E string (open) on the & of 2. This creates the "dum-dum-chi" feel. In the tab above, the thumb hits the
Most Bossa Nova patterns are felt over two measures. While there are infinite variations, the most common "standard" pattern follows this structure:
In this article, we will break down the core rhythm, explain how to practice it, and—most importantly—provide a link to download a that you can keep on your music stand forever.