Bossa nova · samba-jazz · canção

Bossa Backline

Write a chord chart in numbers, pick a key, and a synthesized bossa nova band plays it: nylon-string guitar with the thumb on the beat and the fingers off it, upright bass, cross-stick and brushes, piano, strings, flute and vibraphone. Plain chords get the 7ths and 9ths a bossa player would add.

Ready bar 1 of 40
Key of F132 bpm

How to write the chart
A: 1maj9 6m9 2m9 5(13)
One line per section. The name before the colon is optional. Each chord is one bar.
maj9 · m9 · m6 · 7(13) · 7(b9) · m7b5 · dim7
m or - for minor, then 6, 7, maj7, 9, 11, 13, 69, sus4, add9, ♭9, ♯9, ♯11, ♭13. Parentheses are fine.
VI7(b9) · II9 · V7(b9)
Roman numerals: capitals are major. Use them for dominant chords a plain number reads as minor, like VI7 heading to 2m, or V7 in a minor key.
b3dim7 · bII7(#11) · bVII9
Flat or sharp a scale degree. Borrowed chords play major unless marked m.
(2m9 5(13))
Split bar: both chords share one bar.
1maj9 5/7 · 4m6/b6
Slash chord: the bass plays the second number.
x2 · %
Repeat the line, or repeat the previous bar.
Key +1
On its own line: everything after it moves up a half step. Key -2 goes down a whole step.
A, B · Intro, Verse, Chorus, Bridge, Solo, Outro
Section names set each section's energy when "Follow section names" is on. In an AABA song, A plays as a verse and B as the bridge.
Introdução · Verso · Refrão · Ponte · Improviso · Final
Portuguese names work too.
Improviso (flauta) · Troca (vibes e piano)
Name a player after a solo section and they solo over it while the band makes room. Name two and they trade four bars at a time. With no name, the style's lead players take turns. Flauta, vibes, piano or violão (or flute, guitar).
A (só violão e flauta) · A (sem bateria)
Only those players, or everyone but them (só = only, sem = without). A melody player named in a section that isn't a solo plays out front.
A (suave) · B (forte) · A (parada)
Softer or louder than the name alone would play it. Parada is a stop: the band hits the start of the section's next-to-last bar together, a player fills the gap, and everyone comes back in on the last eighth.
Final (rit) · Final (fade)
The last section slows down, or fades out instead of ending on a chord. Several marks can share the parentheses: (suave, sem bateria).