Bossa Nova Guitar Chords
From LoveToKnow Guitar
Bossa nova guitar chords are popular with fans of João Gilberto, Antonio Carlos Jobim, Luiz Bonfa and other bossa nova originators. While the style is said to have lasted only six years and originated from Brazil, many people are still interested in this jazz and samba infused genre. Bossa nova is great for anyone looking to add a little bit of flair to their guitar playing arsenal. Some of the most popular bossa nova guitar chords are covered below, and other resources where you can find more information are provided as well.
About Bossa Nova Chords
Bossa nova is a mixture of both jazz and samba. As a result, the guitar is the primary instrument. Many popular songs include such colorful chords as Cm9, G7 and E7, and the style as a whole uses many major seven chords. If you are unfamiliar with these chords, you'll need to brush up on your chord vocabulary or you will have trouble playing boss nova songs.
A Few Popular Songs Chords
If you're looking to get started, here are a few places you can find popular bossa nova songs to play:
Where to Find Chords Online
There are also a few good sites out there to find chords in the bossa nova style:
- Bosanovaguitar.com is one of the best sites out there for bossa nova. chords. The site features bossa nova songs in alphabetical order. Some songs feature MP3's and all songs feature song lyrics in Portuguese (the official language of Brazil).
- Spazionwind is another great listing of bossa nova songs. The songs are listed in alphabetical order and feature, in most cases, the songs chords and a chord chart.
- E-chords.com might be a little aesthetically littered, but it's a great resource for chords from world music styles like bossa nova. You can search through the site by artist or by song. If you have a certain song in mind or want to jam out like your favorite bossa nova artist, the site will help you find what you are looking for quickly.
- Etc.ch is a great site for the most popular bossa nova songs. The site features lyrics and 'tablature' for each song. However, most of the tablature listings are actually in the chord format!
- Bourbon Street is a fansite for the bossa nova style and features a good amount of chord transcriptions in PDF format.
Books of Bossa Nova Guitar Chords
For some people, purchasing a book with printed chords and learning to play songs from the book can be easier than looking at chords online. Below are some great bossa nova books for your practicing needs:
- Bossa Nova and Samba for Guitar is a great book for those just getting into the bossa nova style. The book features sections showing common chord progressions and an accompanying CD for those who learn better from following along.
- Brazilian Rhythms for Guitar: Samba, Bossa Nova, Choro, Baiao, Frevo, and Other Brazilian Styles is another great book for those interested in bossa nova chords. The book also shows other popular styles that have originated from Brazil. It also features scales, notation, tablature and chord representations. This book is a must for anyone interested in expanding their South American music playing.
- Bossa Nova Guitar: Essential Chord Progressions, Patterns, Rhythms and Techniques is another bossa nova book that comes complete with a CD at an affordable price. The book promises a strong command of the style by focusing on core style elements like harmony, right-hand techniques and chord progressions.
Conclusion
While the duration of the movement may have been short lived, bossa nova still lives on. There are countless sites and books that cover the topic. The genre is popular for it's stylistic elements and for the quality of music it produces. While newer infusions of the style include electronic instruments and larger ensembles, at it's core, bossa nova is still one person and one guitar.
Learn More
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