Bossa nova guitar rhythm
The bossa nova guitar rhythm splits the hand in two: the thumb plays the bass on every beat (alternating root and fifth), and the index, middle and ring fingers play the chord on a syncopation that takes two bars of 2/4. In the first bar the fingers play on 1, on the last sixteenth of 1 and on the "&" of 2; in the second bar, on the "&" of 1 and on 2.
Now Dm7 Next G7
2/4- · the hand moves in the air without strumming
- p i m a thumb, index, middle, ring; the number is the string (1 = high E)
The whole pattern, with the accents.
Space bar: play/stop
The pattern as a table
| Beat | 1 | e | & | a |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| bar 1, beat 1 | p (bass) + pinch (i m a) | · | · | pinch (i m a) |
| bar 1, beat 2 | p′ (other bass) | · | pinch (i m a) | · |
| bar 2, beat 1 | p (bass) | · | pinch (i m a) | · |
| bar 2, beat 2 | p′ (other bass) + pinch (i m a) | · | · | · |
How to play it
- Play softly: bossa nova is intimate. A gentle thumb and fingers together, no snapping.
- The thumb never stops: it is the clock, and the fingers fit around it.
- Seventh chords (Cmaj7, Dm7, G7) give the bossa sound.
- Learn the thumb first, then add the fingers one bar at a time.
Common mistakes
- Letting the thumb drag when the fingers come in off the beat.
- Playing too loud.
Play along
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between bossa nova and samba on guitar?
Both use the thumb on the bass and the fingers on the high strings, in 2/4. Bossa nova is usually slower and softer, with richer chords (sevenths and ninths) and a syncopation that takes two bars; the simplified samba rhythm repeats every bar.
Which chords work for bossa nova?
Seventh chords: major seventh (Cmaj7), minor seventh (Dm7) and dominant (G7), often with a ninth. Plain chords work too, but sound less like bossa.