Rhythm is essential to playing Brazilian bossa nova and in this lesson we look at four right hand techniques to capture the groove. Sure we could pluck the notes just a like a guitar, and it sure sounds great especially on Low G, but how can we accomplish these rhythms utilizing the ukulele to its full potential?

Download the Free PDF to Accompany this Lesson

For those of us that strum we can take a page out of the cavaquinho playbook and use the techniques of George Formby or maybe a more gentle thumb and index finger strum. We can even add percussion much as the great Ohta-San does with his Tick-Tock strum.

If you'd like to dive deeper into the Bossa Nova Ukulele rabbit hole join us over on the Tin Man's Magic Ukulele Club where we are picking apart Antonio Carlos Jobim's 'The Girl from Ipanema' in a series of five lessons addressing chords, rhythms, strumming, u bass playing, and more.