The Bossa Nova drum groove
The pattern, step by step
One cell per sixteenth note, sixteen cells to the bar — exactly what the hub's drum machine plays. Downbeats are shown in bold.
Bossa Nova
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kick | ● | · | · | · | ● | · | · | ● | · | ● | · | · | ● | · | · | · |
| Snare | · | · | ● | · | · | · | ● | · | · | · | ● | · | · | · | ● | · |
| Hi-hat | ● | · | ● | · | ● | · | ● | · | ● | · | ● | · | ● | · | ● | · |
- Kick · 5 hits · steps 1, 5, 8, 10, 13 · beats 1, 2, 4
- Snare · 4 hits · steps 3, 7, 11, 15 · offbeat eighths
- Hi-hat · 8 hits · steps 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, 15 · beats 1, 2, 3, 4 · eighth notes
Bossa Avancee
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kick | ● | · | · | · | ● | · | · | ● | ● | · | · | · | · | · | · | · |
| Snare | · | · | · | · | ● | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | ● | · | · | · |
| Hi-hat | ● | · | ● | · | ● | · | ● | · | ● | · | ● | · | ● | · | ● | · |
| Open hi-hat | · | ● | · | · | · | · | · | · | ● | · | · | · | · | · | · | · |
| Ride | ● | · | ● | · | · | ● | · | ● | ● | · | ● | · | · | ● | · | ● |
- Kick · 4 hits · steps 1, 5, 8, 9 · beats 1, 2, 3
- Snare · 2 hits · steps 5, 13 · beats 2, 4
- Hi-hat · 8 hits · steps 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, 15 · beats 1, 2, 3, 4 · eighth notes
- Open hi-hat · 2 hits · steps 2, 9 · beats 3
- Ride · 8 hits · steps 1, 3, 6, 8, 9, 11, 14, 16 · beats 1, 3
Where to start
Play the clave figure on the RIM of the snare, left hand alone, until it turns by itself. The right hand and the foot come after, and only after.
What the hands and feet actually do
Volume is the real difficulty: bossa is played three times softer than people think. Milton Banana got his density from precise placement, never from force.
The trap
Playing it like a carnival samba. Bossa is indoor music, born in Rio apartments: if the neighbours complain, you picked the wrong genre.
Listen to this
To hear the Bossa Nova groove in its element:
The Girl from Ipanema · Desafinado · Corcovado
Drummers of this groove
Milton Banana
Adapted street samba to the studio kit by playing it three times softer.
Bossa nova was born in Rio apartments with neighbours behind the wall. Banana found how to keep samba's rhythmic density while dividing the volume, notably by playing the clave on the snare rim. He is on "Getz/Gilberto", one of the best-selling jazz records in history.
The Girl from IpanemaDesafinadoChega de SaudadeNeighbouring grooves
Play it right now
The Drum Hub's drum machine loads this pattern, plays it at any tempo and lets you edit it cell by cell.
Open the Drum Hub →Frequently asked questions
How do you play a Bossa Nova groove on drums?
Play the clave figure on the RIM of the snare, left hand alone, until it turns by itself. The right hand and the foot come after, and only after.
What tempo is Bossa Nova played at?
The usual range runs from 120 to 145 BPM. The hub's 2 pattern(s) are set to 130 BPM, 138 BPM, and the tempo stays free inside the drum machine.
Is Bossa Nova straight or shuffled?
Straight: the eighth notes are even, with no delay on the offbeats. That is what the hub's pattern plays.
Which drummer should you listen to for Bossa Nova?
João Gilberto, Milton Banana. In the hub, Milton Banana is attached to this groove.