Rhythm & Groove Dictionary

Visualizing the heart of Bossa Nova syncopation.

Bossa nova

Bonfa

2/4
1 Bar
1
e
+
a
2
e
+
a
Fingers
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Thumb
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Insensatez

2/4
2 Bar
1
e
+
a
2
e
+
a
Fingers
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Thumb
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2 Bar

Brazilian

Choro

2/4
1 Bar
1
e
+
a
2
e
+
a
Fingers
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Thumb
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Desafinado

2/4
2 Bar
1
e
+
a
2
e
+
a
Fingers
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Thumb
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2 Bar

Extended Gilberto Rhythm

2/4
2 Bar
1
e
+
a
2
e
+
a
Fingers
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Thumb
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2 Bar

Partido Alto Reversed

2/4
2 Bar
1
e
+
a
2
e
+
a
Fingers
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Thumb
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2 Bar

Gilberto Rhythm

2/4
1 Bar

João Gilberto shaped the modern Bossa Nova guitar style. He often played a simple rhythm, that he…

1
e
+
a
2
e
+
a
Fingers
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Thumb
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Samba

2/4
1 Bar

Traditional samba rhythm pattern

1
e
+
a
2
e
+
a
Fingers
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Thumb
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Partido Alto

2/4
2 Bar

Syncopated samba variation

1
e
+
a
2
e
+
a
Fingers
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Thumb
2 Bar

Baião

2/4
1 Bar

Northeastern Brazilian rhythm

1
e
+
a
2
e
+
a
Fingers
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Thumb
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Cuban

Son Clave 2-3

4/4
2 Bar
1
+
2
+
3
+
4
+
Fingers
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Thumb
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2 Bar

General

Son Clave 3-2

4/4
1 Bar

Traditional Cuban Clave

1
e
+
a
2
e
+
a
3
e
+
a
4
e
+
a
Fingers
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Thumb

Waltz

3/4
0.5 Bar

3/4 waltz pattern - bass on 1, chords on 2 and 3

1
e
+
a
2
e
Fingers
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Thumb
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Jazz

Bossa Nova Clave

4/4
2 Bar

The Bossa Nova Clave rhythm pattern.

1
+
2
+
3
+
4
+
Fingers
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Thumb
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2 Bar

Jazz Bossa Nova

4/4
1 Bar
1
e
+
a
2
e
+
a
3
e
+
a
4
e
+
a
Fingers
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Thumb
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Second Line

4/4
0.5 Bar

The Second Line rhythm coming from New Orleans is the adaption of the Tresillo for jazz marching …

1
e
+
a
2
e
+
a
Fingers
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Thumb

Swing

4/4
1 Bar

The basic swing rhythm.

1
trip
let
2
trip
let
3
trip
let
4
trip
let
Fingers
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