I was trying to think of the first Latin drum set style that drummers often learn. It’s probably the bossa nova beat. This is a rhythm, interestingly enough, that was made by a guitar player who never intended to author a style.
The bossa nova beat is a style first introduced to the world by Antônio Carlos Jobim. The term “bossa nova” means “a new way of doing something,” according to Alberto Neto’s Brazilian Rhythms for Drum Set and Percussion. The basic beat for drum set includes adaptations of rhythms played on traditional Brazilian instruments like the ganza (shaker), surdo, and tamborim, among others.
Since bossa nova is a form of light samba, percussionists and other rhythm players will play various accent patterns that you might hear various snare drums or a tamborim play in a samba ensemble.
How does a samba ensemble translate to a drum set? We have to answer this question in order to adapt the Brazilian percussion parts for a bossa nova beat.
So, the following includes explanations as to how we can adapt the Brazilian samba instruments to the drum set. You may find that knowing the traditional rhythms makes it a lot easier to decide what to play on the kit.
Bossa Nova Drum Notation
Brazilian rhythmic interpretation can be hard to capture through traditional Western musical notation. The feel of the eighth notes are not straight but they’re also not a swing feel like American shuffle beats.
The bossa nova is probably the straightest of the Brazilian styles, so the issue of notation is less of a problem than when you’re playing a samba batucada, for example.
But the rhythmic feel should not be stiff. It should be alive and move like the people dancing to the bossa nova music you’re performing.
For notation purposes, I use eighth notes with a cut time meter. Some people like to notate Brazilian rhythms in 2/4 with sixteenth notes. It’s basically the same as cut time with eighths, but I like cut time notation for Latin music because it’s less cluttered.
Basic Bossa Nova Beat
The bossa nova has three parts.
- Ganza is played on the hi-hat or another cymbal.
- Tamborim is played as a cross stick on the snare drum.
- Timba or surdo are played by the kick drum.
Although the cross stick rhythm seems like a “Brazilian clave,” there is no clave in Brazil, at least not like in Afro-Cuban music. This rhythm is more accurately referred to as partido alto.
Individual Bossa Nova Percussion Parts
Bossa nova ensemble configurations take on many forms. Players can include vocals, guitar, and one percussionist or several percussionists and other rhythm section players. In other words, there are no steadfast rules about instrumentation. It’s all about the rhythms and the timbres.
The ganza (or shaker) can play a few different accent patterns. The following two patterns are a good place to start.
Drum set players often adapt the ganza rhythms on the hi-hats, ride cymbal, or with other implements like brushes.
The tamborim part is a partido alto rhythm. It is usually played as a cross stick on the snare drum when playing a bossa nova on a drum set. This rhythm should be varied to fit with the melody or guitar strumming pattern as needed (see Cross Stick Variations below).
Unlike a samba bateria with several surdos, the bossa nova ensemble might on have one if any. It’s a low drum part that accents beat 2 (in cut time that’s the third quarter note) with an open tone. This part can also be played by a timba or a tan tan.
The tan tan is a single-head drum with a cylindrical shell, and it’s placed horizontally across the player’s lap. This way, the drum head can be played with one hand and the other hand can play something else like the ganza rhythm with a brush on the drum shell.
Pandeiros are also commonly played on a bossa nova. This Brazilian tambourine accommodates the style with the sizzle of the ganza and the low tones of the surdo.
Recommendation: How to Play Pandeiro
Partido Alto Bossa Nova Cross Stick Variations
The cross stick rhythm on the snare drum is an adaptation of the tamborim or wood block part. This rhythm is called partido alto, and it is one of the most recognizable elements of the bossa nova.
This first variation is the most common one and would work for almost every bossa nova you’d ever play.
Treat the cross stick variations for bossa nova beat like a rhythmic theme, or motif. Like jazz, the bossa nova is improvisatory. But be careful to not make the cross stick part distracting to the melody or other rhythm parts.
The first two variations are traditional Brazilian rhythms adapted by bossa nova musicians from samba. This next example is a cross stick variation that you might hear on jazz albums.
Here’s one you might hear on a pop song like the chorus to Steely Dan’s “Rikki Don’t Lose That Number.” It’s a one-bar phrase, unlike the two-bar phrases of the more traditional rhythms in examples the previous two examples.
Kick Drum Variations for Bossa Nova
The kick drum part for a bossa nova is an adaptation of the surdo part. Its accent is on beat 2 yet you’ll see more rhythm and no accents in the notation. This lack of accent notation is mainly because it’s very subtle, and most drummers do not emphasize beat two.
Think about these kick drum rhythms in terms of playing the rhythms not on beat 2 a little lighter instead of accenting beat 2.
This next example leaves out half of the kick drum rhythm from Example 1. You might find that this kick drum rhythm works for a bossa nova that’s much quieter than others or if the ensemble is smaller (see playing with brushes below).
Drum Fills for Bossa Nova
If you are looking for ideas as to what drum fills to play on a bossa nova, consider voicing the partido alto rhythms around the drums. Just remember to play a fill that works in the musical space you are filling in.
The example below features a long multiple bounce press on the snare drum. I would play this press with a loose grip on the stick and let it buzz (or bounce) on the head as long as possible.
Your drum fills can take on many durations, including a one beat fill, half measure fill, or a full phrase fill, to name a few possibilities.
Playing a Bossa Nova With Brushes
The bossa nova beat with brushes has a lot of potential to incorporate the different timbres in a quieter setting. If you use a brush in one hand and a stick in the other, all that’s needed is a light kick drum to complete the groove.
Try playing the brush parts by striking the drum straight up and down or swiping the brush side to side across the drumhead.
The kick drum part is only on the upbeat of 2 and the downbeat of 3. I have found that when there’s too much kick drum overpowers a light groove like this. So, if you need to leave out some kick drum in a bossa nova drum beat, these are the ones I would choose.
Shaker and Bossa Nova Beat
Bossa nova drum beats sound really cool with a shaker in one hand and a stick in the other. Like the substitution of the brush in the previous example, the shaker adds a new timbre to your bossa nova groove repertoire.
Hold the shaker in a way that allows you to control the materials inside the instrument. Most cylindrical shakers work well when they are held horizontally. Try gripping the shaker with your fingers and play it with a wrist motion and slight arm movement.
