Bossa Nova drum pattern
A restrained drum-set bossa with feathered bass drum, cross-stick clave and a quiet shaker bed. Press Play to hear it with a sampled drum kit at 120 BPM, change the tempo or swing, and follow every hit on the grid.
How to count the Bossa Nova
Count it as: 1 e & a 2 e & a 3 e & a 4 e & a. The pattern is a 2-bar phrase in 4/4 (two-bar 16th-note phrase).
The Bossa Nova pattern, hit by hit
Each character is one step of the grid and each group is one beat. X is an accented hit, x a normal hit, o a quiet or ghost note and - a rest.
| Voice | Bar 1 | Bar 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Kick | x--- --o- x--- --o- | x--- --o- x--- --o- |
| Cross-stick | x--- --x- ---- x--- | ---- x--- --x- ---- |
| Shaker | oooo oooo oooo oooo | oooo oooo oooo oooo |
Tempo and feel
Light, even and understated. The cross-stick phrase leads; the kick should be felt more than heard. The default tempo is 120 BPM. Slow it down until every hit is controlled, then raise the tempo a few BPM at a time.
How to practise the Bossa Nova
Clap the cross-stick phrase first. Feather the kick. Keep the shaker level through the bar line.
Variations to try next
Play brushes on the snare. Remove the anticipated kicks. Move the shaker to closed hi-hat.
Where to hear this feel
Records in this family include Joao Gilberto - Desafinado, Stan Getz & Joao Gilberto - The Girl from Ipanema and Antonio Carlos Jobim - Wave. This is a style study written for practice, not a transcription of any one recording.