How to Play Bossa Nova (Afro-Brazilian Jazz Explained)

[@andyokus4930]

I was playing piano on a cruise ship doing a medley of Jobim tunes. 3 young girls came to me and began singing all my tunes in Portuguese. Their phrasing blew me away! They knew every word. I learned more that night about Brazilian music than I had my entire life!

[@Geo-wc7jc]

They are Brazillian after all

[@DHFreaki]

May I ask how you got that job? Are you a trained musician with a degree?

[@MadeInJack]

@@DHFreaki just putting a comment here to get notified in case he replies :)

[@novaria]

What songs did you play?

[@marcoevans2155]

What happened with the girls afterwards

[@fernandogiongo]

I'm a Brazilian musician and I think you did a great job at creating an intro to bossa. But people have to remember that, like you said, there is a lot of variation in bossa, otherwise it sounds stiff. The short notes on the bassline for instance are not a rule, the bass can also (and more commonly does) just play long notes on the beat.

[@ericwinter4513]

Fernando Giongo Agreed. If you listen to the original recording of Ipanema, the bass is literally just playing half-notes. Somehow what has become the standard for a lot of jazz players is the bass line from Song for my father and Steely Dan rather than how Brazilians actually play.

[@deldia]

Oh god, there's always one Brazilian trying to stir up trouble just because they don't like someone else playing some music from Brazil. Polite request: fuck off.

[@ericwinter4513]

wikichris I'm not Brazilian. I just know what it's supposed to sound like

[@fernandogiongo]

wikichris Stir up trouble? Whats the matter with you? I think I was polite, besides, I said I like his bossa nova lesson. I am literally an expert, a professional music teacher in Brazil. If I'm not allowed to make constructive, polite criticism about the music I spent 30 years listening to and playing, than who can? Looks like you are the one stirring up trouble here.

[@deldia]

You're condescending. There is no but. It's a good lesson. There's always one of you everywhere.

[@Carlosconga]

The rhythm at 10:50 is a Brazilian rhythm that has a name- partido alto. It’s like a clave but it is also its own style of music.

[@ianmoore5502]

The single most instructional video on KZbin. Best tutorial in jusic I've ever seen. Literally one watch and I'm playing bossa Nova and counting rhythms I used to struggle with. I don't know how you made this so clear but don't stop making tutorials. I love your work. Thank you so much.

[@WalkThatBass]

Thanks, Ian. You're too kind.

[@peoriaos6627]

Another great one!

[@matheusdoriadearaujo3318]

As a Brazilian who has a congenital natural rhythmic sense for samba, I have to say that the basis of the Afro-Cuban rhythm is the clave while the basis of the bossa nova rhythm or any other samba rhythm is the tambourine.

[@amatta_]

Thank you always for your guides. Bossa Nova is one of my favorites! It really shows how music makes people feel good, I think!

[@WalkThatBass]

Agreed! Thanks for the comment.

[@pky107]

Just a suggestion: play the finished piece at the start.

[@imojado7294]

No because then there's no point of watching the video mr instant satiation

[@isaacvance5090]

Cherry Salinger it’s so we don’t waste our time watching a video if it isn’t what we’re looking for

[@imojado7294]

@@isaacvance5090 Not a good response

[@DanThePianoManNZ]

A snippet of the piece at the beginning would be a good idea to catch the attention, probably not the whole thing.

[@imojado7294]

@@DanThePianoManNZ No

[@ChristerOstergaard]

00:00 Introduction & Latin jazz disambiguation 00:31 Bossa Nova history 02:06 The style 02:36 The rhythm 04:01 The “Bossa Nova clave” 06:24 Bass ostinato 09:10 Chordal comping 11:48 Melody I love bossa, I make bossa... have a listen to Boba Nova: kzbin.info/www/bejne/fJ_Gqqh9hqlqqqc

[@letsplayharmonica]

Excellent explanation! The only thing I'd like to add is: due being derived from Samba, most of Bossa-Nova songs are often in 2/4 bar, instead of 4/4.

[@maakkaas]

Thank you for such a thorough video! I'm an electronic music producer who was asked by a client to write something "bossa nova-y" and was a bit stuck since jazz is not something I usually compose, this was super helpful!

[@kip4966]

The history lesson alone makes this worth the watch, really well done sir!

[@opop3553]

Me: 2020 recommendations: bro you should def make your New Year resolution to learn how to rip some Bossa Nova on a piano

[@abelshete521]

How’d you like the new year

[@charliewalton3942]

Guessing you didn't learn it so now the universe is punishing us all....

[@flikkrstudios]

Finally, I can wake wii music

[@daneuro]

😂😂😂

[@cornelmasson4610]

Bossa, like the Blues, has something primally appealing about it.

[@patriciajrs46]

You are the second person I have ever seen that can play left hand sections all by themselves. Usually they put both hands up to the keys, even if the right hand isn't playing. Very well done.

[@terpentoon]

Now that is a perfect lesson. This is a true documentation and a surgical excersize. (Praise the Lord !)

[@jamesmcmahan1236]

Great to have videos like this giving an introduction to different styles. When I hear an artist who borrows from a style like this, or is inspired by it, I often think, "I'd love to understand this more." But getting into things can be duanting and it's nice to have a easy starting point

[@pfylim]

What I love about this channel is that you are teaching without any other commercial interest at all.

[@christophemarois5423]

I have no words for how good your teaching is.

[@WalkThatBass]

Thanks, mate :)

[@SwiftDreamer]

Wow this is a dope tutorial. Was just looking at bossa nova songs randomly too. Also, I'm not that strong in music theory so I feel like I leveled up in some concepts

[@WalkThatBass]

Happy to be of service :)

[@AS-zg7fw]

I've noodled around on piano learning chords and scales and playing my own versions of tunes but this will be great for the next step to playing it true to form. Thanks dude, really helpful and completely and uttetly explanatory. No gaps in information at all.

[@masonnair]

You are the best teacher currently on KZbin!!!!!

[@centient1327]

Amazing video, will definitely come back to check out your other lessons!

[@lastorianostra8173]

Great explanation and amazing skills UNFORTUNATELY not for my beginner level... maybe next year, who knows... but thanks, Andrea from Roma - Italia.

[@MarkPrigoff]

With all due respect, the song that started it all is Jobim’s Chega de saudade, or, No More Blues. And the bossa jazz standard is Blue Bossa. On top of that, a song like How Insensatez is really based on F. Chopin. Bossa Nova can be easily expressed in rhythm with just a shaker!

[@RodM.Peters]

Brilliant deconstruction, and you then topped it off with a soulful jazzy execution. Top notch.

[@Beowulf_93]

This is bossa pur man

[@eascya]

This was amazing. I've been playing this song for years - but this helped me take it to a whole new level!!

[@craigsmurf6640]

Glad I stumbbled into this, I've been playing (started as a drummer) for 38 yrs? never broke down the bossa nova, always thought about as a switch you through on a apartment organ. this is a little more succinct. thanks friend

[@국가가허락한마약]

The best teacher. I LOVE YOU

[@FernieCanto]

I realise that this is just a quick 'n' dirty tutorial for getting the basics of the bossa nova rhythm, but still, there are lots of fundamental aspects of samba and bossa nova that get lost when we stick to the surface level. One example is that, even though you stress the importance of syncopation in bossa, it's not just any syncopation. In almost every samba you hear, you'll hear a stress that's put in the "One uh and *A* , Two uh and *A* | One uh and *A* , Two uh and *A* ". There's no such thing as samba (and, by extension, bossa nova) without that 16th note stress. You can hear that, for example, in the melody of the classic Canto de Ossanha. Also, in order to truly grasp the way those rhythmic patterns work, you'd have to understand the way they're playing the role of traditional percussion instruments, which, though they don't follow a clave, are tightly tied together in complex rhythmic tapestries; but not just that, but some notes are slightly delayed while others are slightly rushed in relation to the "grid", in very subtle ways, but that almost any ordinary Brazilian person is able to play on a matchbox. The brilliancy of musicians like João Gilberto resides (among other things) in how he can deconstruct those rhythmic patterns into their most basic elements and reproduce them on the guitar, and execute sophisticated tricks that your mind might not even notice; sometimes, in the middle of a song, he would *only* play guitar chords on the "A" 16th notes, but you're fooled into thinking he's playing the other notes as well, because you're still hearing them in your head. Crazy, absolutely crazy. All of this might be too complicated and deep for someone who's just getting initiated, but, really, it's the absence of details like those that'll make your music sound like "samba de gringo", i.e. foreigner's samba. You have to study partido alto, samba de roda, and other related styles, in order to get that sound right... and listen to some really great music while you're at it. :)

[@davisworth5114]

The melody of Bossa tunes are so beautiful, I like to play them with a swing beat, and people love it and want to dance, there are a lot of ways to put across good music, and it doesn't always require that it be played with idiomatic correctness.

[@elBiter]

This video is pure gold. Thank you for sharing this knowledge.

[@paxwallacejazz]

I perform 4 Jobim bossas and 2 of my own on a regular basis. So there's no problem when playing in a trio or even just a bassist. However playing solo piano is problematic. Inserting bass notes into the overall matrix is problematic as I find I must momentarily interupt the flow in the left hand to stride in a bass function. I want my rt hand completly free to solo. So halfway through still waiting for solutions I don't already know.

[@Carolo3972]

The best tutorial explaining bossa nova rythm. Both teory and practice, applied to the "Bossa Standard· Garota de ipanema. Congratulations man. I can't express how grateful I am for your generosity. Best regards maestyro

[@Blabass]

One of the best teacher on KZbin, thanks for these incredible well explained lessons

[@zeldaworld7]

7:42 mins in and I went straight into belting “Rikki don’t lose that number!” Lol great song

[@mattfreise6644]

SlippiGoldberg7 yup!

[@quentinkain4367]

same

[@fluff5800]

Same

[@komami1006]

I love bossa nova and I always wated to learn more about it. Thank you for sharing great lecture!!

[@ttwa5328]

Excellent presentation, I now understand the rthym and composition much better--not that I'll be able to play effectively but u never know. THANKS Job Welldone.

[@Andreas-J-Wieland]

Especially the film "Orfeu Negro" by Marcel Camus , award winner at Cannes in 1968, started the worldwide Bossa-craze.

[@fadyboles2100]

Great video! However could you possibly in the future make a detailed video about montunos and how to practice them? Cheers!

[@wangzhendan]

Literally the best explanation so far i read online . Mucho gracias

[@aliciahan]

Very Clear Explaination. Thanks!

[@snipperbesfelixje]

THANK YOU! Your videos are a gold mine as always. You deserve more subs...

[@WalkThatBass]

My pleasure, mate :)

[@wan_kkkkkk]

Thank you,i was trying to ''create" a bossa nova song And i'd failed,what surprise But i think now i learn a bit more I'll try again :)

[@bonnieheat_on]

This is such a quality video! Thank you for sharing it - I've learnt so much :)

[@kinder5775]

wow this is my first time watching your channel and i love the content! definitely subscribing

[@Agaveo_Productions]

4:20 and 10:36 very useful to me to learn these ! Thank you very much!

[@gruforevs]

I love all your videos, one of my favourite music educators on youtube. Thanks for all your hard work

[@thumblelina1916]

Great instructional video, ❤love it, very useful with great explanation, your Jazz Piano 🎹🎹Tutorials covers everything to play from Blues to Jazz. I will make sure to follow for latest content. 👍

[@akalmi6479]

Very good tutorial 🙏 ! It's really helpful !

[@nayarlopez8655]

Awesome lesson! Thanks for the lesson: not only are there few lessons on bossa nova piano available, but this one is great!

[@UnicornLaunching]

7:35 Horace Silver - Song For My Father

[@darrenseder5923]

I heard that too.

[@aronjoosten5571]

I’m personally not a fan of it, but I liked it that you told some information in the beginning of the video

[@Louis-sm5ws]

This tutorial is really great, i don't usually do that but like and share!

[@pallagsamuel2441]

These latin musics are awesome 😊thank you soo much for explaining the structure, and still you are a good teacher! Is this your job?

[@WalkThatBass]

Thanks :) No, I just do this as a hobby.

[@petereichorn7079]

Hi Mr. "WALK THAT BASS" Thanks a lot for this tutorial BOSSA NOVA so beautifully and understandable explained. Difficult to add more, which words could express. Thanks again for your Inspiration, Now pracictice time. Wish you the Best. GREETINGS from SPAIN.

[@53gitaar]

Nice lesson !

[@PRODBYGL3]

11:06 potsu- just friends

[@ev_alex_]

no its not

[@NolifeToby]

@@ev_alex_ yes

[@ev_alex_]

@@NolifeToby no

[@imnotasher4892]

@@ev_alex_ he sampled it

[@gavin1078]

Lol

[@rebanelson607]

Thanks for an excellent lesson!!

[@barbiebeckford2988]

This is great. I tried to buy the ebook that has this song and your other compositions but it says not available. I’m enjoying your Misty with shell chords tutorial.

[@breadman7733]

This channel is amazing. Awesome work mate

[@Sweetmellow11]

Loveeeee this lesson. I been watching many lesson this lesson is my fav😸😸🙌

[@Papzino]

Exactly what I was looking for

[@lincolnzeras]

Bossa-nova is not "Brazilian Jazz", Bossa-nova is Bossa-nova.. As simple as that.. One influenced the other, but they're different things! The complex harmonies are not only exclusive to jazz.. In fact some of the biggest influences of Tom Jobim, the creator of bossa nova, were classic composers like Debussy and Heitor Villa Lobos.

[@gabrielpimentel9848]

Thats true man HSAHAUSHSU os gringo sempre querem mamar em tudo !

[@lincolnzeras]

É assim mesmo mano! Eles são muito competentes e eu sou fã mas não vamos exagerar né? Bossa Nova não é Jazz e é brasileira!! Ponto final!

[@theocharles3902]

Discordo. Bossa-Nova é Bossa-Nova sim, mas é TAMBÉM jazz pois possui todas as características para assim ser classificado, e não há pecado algum em chamar de "Brazilian jazz", visto que o termo "jazz" possui significação ampla. Além disso gêneros musicais podem, frequentemente, ser categorizados com denominações diversas, a exemplo do próprio bebop, hardbop, fusion, world music etc...

[@lincolnzeras]

Théo Charles quais características? Harmonia rebuscada? É a única característica que os dois gêneros compartilham.. O Jazz é tradicionalmente interpretado com colcheias "swingadas" predominantemente e se prioriza a improvisação, na bossa nova não; predomina as semicolcheias "retas" e prioriza a melodia. Jazz é um termo americano cuja a essência é a improvisação, na bossa raramente há improvisação. Respeito sua opinião, mas não tem respaldo técnico nomear os dois gêneros com nomes "quase" iguais. Eles são muito diferentes e a única coisa que compartilham é que a harmonia seja mais trabalhada, nada mais...

[@lincolnzeras]

Théo Charles Obs: Bebop, Hardbop, Cool Jazz são subgêneros do Jazz, quer dizer, variantes do mesmo... Bossa nova não.. Tem outra identidade, nacionalidade e origem: Brasil, samba, influências dá música européia etc..

[@alberto798]

Can you make a video talking about some tips for playing jazz solo piano? Some tips to get a fuller sound and dont sound boring

[@mitkotch]

Great video! Nicely done - both the theoretical and practical potions. I am just having a bit of a challenge understanding the right-hand rhythm in the first and second measures starting at 14:06. The rhythm that is played does not seem to align with the notation displayed while playing as the third beat seems to be skipped. In addition, the original melody does not have a note on the 4th beat which is displayed on the score during play. Finally, the performance does not seem to be aligned exactly with any of the 4 comping patterns listed earlier in the video. Would you mind clarifying how did you come up with the right-hand rhythm that is played in the video in the first two measures, starting at 14:06? Thank you for your help!

[@anuvette]

Bossa Nova is a very pretty genre

[@youkokun]

OMG WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN ALL MY LIFE?! ...it's probably wrong of me to feel so strongly about bossa nova haha

[@l.ijoseangelpucciau5701]

Good explanation mister.. hello to you since Yucatán, I am a jazz lover and musician too that wants to learn how to play it and this video riches myself to do it.. thank you.. I Will práctice it.. here we traditionally listen to cumbia music and a mexican cumbia group plays some Jazz in some parts of it.. thats why I learn it, to use it into mine.. hello to you God bless you and thanks so much

[@cacauceluque]

Congratulations! You are teaching a Brazilian musician to play bossa nova! Lol. Do you have a video about those special bossa voicings? Thank you very much

[@4c00h]

Taught like a proper Aussie! (Whatever that means). Thanks mate.

[@davidkelly831]

Great tutorial 👍

[@fer18433]

Gracias, su canal es de los mejores q he visto, Dios lo bendiga.

[@KirkHMiller]

The Brazilian clave is called Partido Alto. There are variations, but it does exist!

[@mysticmagicsmurfdarklord6844]

It would be cool if you turned a traditional jazz song or swing song into a bossa nova song

[@jeremybasualdo4483]

Very helpful, and a great introduction to Bossa Nova.

[@danielbarry5547]

My fav Latin tune to play on guitar is "Canto de Ossanha"....great content btw!

[@philippeneron]

wow....well explained and played !

[@ItamarHaggaiMusic]

This is really helpful and easy to follow! Thanks man, I really appreciate it

[@aldebaran.carrasco.martinez]

A. C. Jobim 💜💙💚

[@jrileycain6220]

Early Bossa bass patterns were often more simple 2 beat without the 1/8 notes (listen to the original Getz/Giberto albums) The bass, however, would "spell" out the chord progression in longer harmonic phrases which makes the tune "swing" better-- ei: In Girl from Ipanema--instead of F/C, F/C, G/D, G/D, G/D C/G, F/C - with the little 1/8th note bump-. The bass instead would play a 1/4 note on the first beat of the measure and a 1/2 note on the third beat of the measure ---with a slight accent and sustain on the third beat of the measure. I addition, the bass harmonically would walk through the chord progression more interestingly than just root and 5th . Kind of like a 1/2 time version of 1/4 note walking bass patterns in swing/jazz. Very hip and clever.

[@drumwarlock]

Thank you for this lesson.

[@javierdonado5120]

Saludos del Pianista Javier Donado desde barranquilla, Colombia

[@gavrinmahaffey3656]

Excellent!!

[@anonymousbrowser4448]

If you don't mind me asking: what kawai digital piano are you using ? Are you happy with the key action? I need to buy a new digital and have read some good reviews about the kawai digital line

[@nylonsong]

Can I know where you got the resources?

[@james69136]

Very clearly explained , Thanks

[@patriciajrs46]

Somba and Jazz. Very cool. Okay, so does this mean that Bossa Nova is not a song? It is a music stle and rythm. Clave ryhtm. Interesting. And those other rythm names you said, I had never even heard of. Thank you for this. A few of your clapping sessions made me think of the conga line.

[@Prilly49]

Great lesson. Thanks so much!

[@sebastiantorrisi5100]

Thank you for this video, very useful, I didn't know this, but now I do! 😊😇

[@_arman_]

great teacher mate thank you

[@jcomm120]

Thank you so much for these clear explanations♡♡♡

[@jonathanlichtle3418]

Fantastic, thanks very much !

[@Rajivrocks-Ltd.]

Wow, thanks so very much for this amazingly informative video. I absolutely love Latin music and learning to play it is a big goal for me and this really helps me out a lot! :)

[@rexchidgey7911]

Mate, great tutorial. Concise and easy to absorb.

[@rodrigogonzalezalfonso]

Bravo!!!!

[@Carlosouza87]

Great video, especially the explanation and comparison with Cuban music in the beginning. As you can see in the comments, even Brazilians hardly recognize the afro origins of bossa nova. The piano class was also very interesting, even though I don't play piano (I'm a guitarist).

[@WalkThatBass]

Thanks, mate :)

[@ejshelby5460]

is billy joel's An Innocent Man based on this pattern?

[@SteelerY360Nation]

Well explained!

[@rachelsmename]

Thank you for making that video. It was fun!

[@mysticmagicsmurfdarklord6844]

Bossa Nova is awesome