Bossa nova guitar
Bossa nova means a quiet nylon-string guitar, thumb bass, syncopated chords and gentle melodies. Below are the chords, scale, techniques and an accompaniment you can hear and practise.
1950s100–140 BPMseventh chordssyncopation
What is bossa nova
Bossa nova appeared in Rio de Janeiro in the late 1950s, where samba met cool jazz. The loud drums of the carnival gave way to a quiet guitar, and the singing became almost a whisper. The genre soon became popular all over the world.
In bossa nova one guitar replaces a whole band: the thumb plays the bass like a surdo drum while the other fingers play syncopated chords. The chords are jazzy sevenths and the melodies are calm and smooth.
Signature chords
The harmony is close to jazz. Dm7, G7, Cmaj7 is a ii–V–I in C major, and A7 leads back to Dm7. Hear how softly the seventh chords sound when fingerpicked on three strings.
Scale for soloing
Melodies are built on the major scale, with detours to chord tones (such as C sharp over A7). Below the scale is shown from the 8th fret; the melody on this page sounds lower on the neck using the same notes.
Techniques
Thumb bass
The thumb plays the bass evenly on beats one and three, alternating the root and the fifth of the chord. It works like a metronome and does not depend on what the other fingers are doing.
Syncopation
The fingers play the chord not on the beats but between them: on one, on the “and” of two and so on. Together with the steady bass, this is the signature bossa nova rhythm. Listen to the accompaniment below.
Minor seventh
Dm7 is a minor chord with an added seventh, C. It sounds softer and hazier than a plain Dm. Tap the chord to hear it.
Accompaniment in the bossa nova style
Four bars: Dm7, G7, Cmaj7, A7. The thumb plays the bass on one and three, the fingers play short chords on the syncopations. Practise the bass alone first, then add the chords.
Bossa nova-style melody
Over Dm7: A, G, F; over G7: D, F, B; over Cmaj7: G, A, E; over A7: C sharp, E and A with vibrato, leading back to Dm7. Play it softly, as if humming.
The riff opens as a draft: change notes, tempo and tracks however you like.
Open in RiffonicWhat to listen to
Listen to these recordings and pay attention to what is described next to each one.
- João Gilberto - “Chega de Saudade”. The recording that started bossa nova: the thumb holds the bass while the other fingers play syncopated chords.
- Antônio Carlos Jobim - “Garota de Ipanema”. A gentle melody over seventh chords and an unexpected key change in the middle section.
- Stan Getz & João Gilberto - “Desafinado”. The title means “out of tune”: the melody deliberately passes through “strange” notes, and the harmony is rich in seventh chords.
Every riff and solo on this page is an original exercise in the style of the genre, not the notes of someone else’s song.
FAQ
What guitar is bossa nova played on?
Usually a classical guitar with nylon strings - it sounds soft and warm. Steel strings work too; the sound will just be brighter.
What chords do you need for bossa nova?
Seventh chords: Dm7, G7, Cmaj7, Am7, A7 and others. They are often played on three or four strings so the bass stays separate for the thumb.
How do I learn the bossa nova rhythm?
First play only the thumb bass on one and three with a metronome. Once it is automatic, add the syncopated chords - slowly, one bar at a time.