Choro — Cavaquinho

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. Playful and virtuosic, choro is one of Brazil's great instrumental traditions: agile melodies that smile one moment and sigh with longing the next. Here you'll practice the cycle of dominants — which simply means a chain of chords where each one pulls toward the next — and the classic ii-V-I, harmony's most common setup and resolution.

Grooves

Progressions

My Chords & Scales — Build the genre's repertoire — save and organize in the Notebook · try it in Chord & Fret

Updated July 9, 2026