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Bossa nova — Ukulele

Brazilian styles are not the ukulele's home turf: it can carry a gentle bossa nova, but the percussive drive of samba, choro and pagode asks for more bite and low-end punch than its soft nylon strings can give. Soft and sophisticated, bossa nova sounds like a conversation in a low voice: rich harmony, a discreet sway, and a very Brazilian elegance. Here you'll explore the ii-V-I — which can be understood as the sequence that builds and releases tension between chords — and the move from I to II7, where the second degree turns dominant and adds an unexpected color.

Progressions

ii-V-I I ao II7

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