Chord & FretSamba · ciclo de quintas — Cavaquinho
What is the Samba · ciclo de quintas progression?
The Samba · ciclo de quintas progression is Gm → Cm → F → A# (vi – ii – V – I), in the key of Bb. Read as harmonic function it moves tonic → subdominant → dominant → tonic, arriving home on a cadence. Play one chord per bar and let it loop.
Play any song you love and it does this: leaves home, takes a walk, and at the right moment somebody yells "come back!". This progression is that route, road sign by road sign: Gm (vi, home) → Cm (ii, the stroll) → F (V, time to come back) → A# (I, home). Hit play and follow with your finger on the names — when you reach the chord marked "time to come back", notice your own body waiting for A# — the home chord.
Cavaquinho
The cavaquinho is a small, bright four-string with no low bass, so it fills the upper-middle range and leaves the deep notes to others. This is the cavaquinho's true home: in samba, choro and pagode it is the rhythmic and harmonic center, driving the groove with bright, percussive chords. Its home chord A# keeps its lowest note on F.
Cadences — Harmony comes to rest here — hear every cadence type and train your ear · see it in Chord & Fret
Save this progression in Chord & FretReharmonize — Want richer substitutions? Reharmonize the progression in a tap · open in Chord & Fret
Learn each chord of the trip
This is one shape of A#. In Chord & Fret, you open every position of all 4 chords in this progression along the neck — on any instrument, and hear each one. Open in Chord & Fret →
Metronome — Drill this change in time, with tap tempo and subdivisions · use it in Chord & Fret
If you want to keep exploring, the Chord & Fret app picks up right here, with every variation of this chord one tap away. On the stores.