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ACOUSTIC GUITAR 013: Bossa /Samba Latin Guitar Style

Posted by Andrew Wasson Sunday, December 3, 2017

Acoustic Guitar 013:

Bossa /Samba Latin Guitar Style...

Latin rhythms apply what is referred to as the Clave. This is the bedrock rhythm of the Latin feel. On guitar it can incorporate bass-lines and chord shots with a contrast of these two parts performed either "on the beat," or at times, "off the beat" using fingerstyle.

Latin acoustic players will play through these grooves differently according to the idea, but their focus is based upon the "Clave," which forms the rhythmic foundation of Latin music...

Daily Deal:

This lesson breaks down the various feels of Latin Guitar playing with eight exercises. Each example will cover different elements of the Latin feel.

The examples work together to explore different areas of Latin guitar playing that center around developing the Latin Clave.

This will include the study of time signatures such as 6/8 and cut-time (2/2) feel. The lesson will then progress to the performance of grooves including; Samba, Bossa Nova, Mambo and Cha Cha...

Watch the Video:

PART ONE:
In example one, I introduce the most basic Latin rhythm, the "2-Bar Clave." This feel encompasses nearly all of the most popular feels found in Latin music. The rhythmic feel shown in example one uses a key of "C Minor" tonality to demonstrate the primary Latin feel along with a popular variation.

Example two shifts the time signature to 6/8. This triple-meter feel demonstrates the concept of using this compound time signature for performing Latin groove. A key of "A Minor" tonality riff is shown within the 6/8 feel. The harmony is simplistic, (using only three guitar strings of 4th through 2nd). However the unique groove of 6/8 produces a feel that really stands on its own rhythmically.

Example three, introduces a new time signature into the lesson plan with the appearance of cut-time feel (also known of as the 2/2 count). The cut-time signature offers players the opportunity to groove out on a busy pulse, while maintaining a more laid-back perspective of the feeling of the groove. A progression in the key of "A Dorian," sets the mood over two examples that apply the same harmony offered as similar yet subtly different rhythms.

PART TWO: The exercises in example four bring in new rhythmic grooves by way of the "Mambo" and "Cha Cha," rhythms. These beats will tend to really get the listener (and the player) up and moving. The examples shown are offered in the key of "B Minor." While each example uses minimal note groupings from the chord types, we still achieve a strong pulse with interesting short melodic bass-note patterns.

Example five establishes a Clave rhythm that is based around an active single-note line combination of rhythmic, melodic and harmony based ideas. The riff in example five offers the chance to understand how filler tones (used as bass lines) can work together to firmly establish bass-line harmony within a groove.

This examples key of "G Minor" Clave rhythm is centered around a "Gm7" chord with a turnaround that employs the "VII-chord" of the key (F major). Together the rhythm along with the bass-line establish the harmony of the Clave as a whole.