Bossa Nova Groove - Left hand Bass & Right Hand Comping - Intermediate to Advanced Lesson
BOSSA NOVA GROOVE
Here is a notated example of the bossa nova groove. The treble clef has rhythmic notation - The slashes tell you the rhythms of the notes, but not the specific notes to play. You have to decide how you want to play Dm7 in your right hand. I recommend [DFAC] like in the video. If that is too big of a stretch for your hands, then try just the Dminor triad [DFA].
MAKE SURE TO COUNT AND PLAY THIS! The rhythms are very complicated, especially when putting two hands together. I had to practice this over and over again with a metronome, each hand separately first and then together. (COUNTING the whole time!) I put the numbers in between the bass and treble clef to help you see how the counting should line up with the notes! (1 + 2 + should be pronounced “one and two and”)
The left hand in Bossa Nova almost always plays a root and a fifth of the chord. You can vary the rhythm shown a little bit.
CLICK ON THE MUSIC TO BLOW IT UP FULL SIZE SO YOU CAN PRINT IT!
In the video below it shows this example with a C major chord added in. These are still the basic left and right hand patterns on piano for a bossa nova. The left hand just imitates what a bass player would do normally. If you are playing solo piano, then your whole goal is split the chord in your right hand so that the melody is on top and the chord rhythms are playing out beneath.
If you are having trouble with learning this pattern after practicing it for an hour or two. Post a comment and let me know! I will break down the left hand part and right hand parts in to smaller lessons.
Thanks!
Chris Marx
Hey!
thanks a lot!!!
I’ve been looking for these lessons and tips for almost a year and I have never found one that could be really usefull …
I’ll study the tips you’re giving me on these videos you gave me and put them into the practice … I love this music styles I mean jazz, bossanova, blues and all of the similar rythms but to be honest I’ve no much access to these materials …
Thanks a lot I’ll practice all the tips you gave me
Greetings
Cynthia
Hi,
I bought keyboard couple days ago, and I’m starting to learn it. While I was learning MAJ and min chords I found this website. It’s excellent.
I just want to say that your clips are excellent.
Great post! I’m a vocalist looking to expand my jazz piano skills…thanks so much - super helpful!
Can you split the lesson into two left hand and right hand I have difficulties in practising the left and the right.
I really enjoy the bossa nova sound going back from dmin to cmaj but where
would i go from there to furher the music expression
thank
great tutorial! thank you
@Mike: Do you have two left hands and two right hands then? I can see it could be complicated which of all of those hands to use and when; so you definitely need to split the parts up. Have you tried putting a glob of Tippex on your monitor and then using the scroll bar? Then either the left hand part or right hand part will be covered depending on how you scroll this page.