Original practice exercise by Basnote
Bossa Nova Bass Line
An original 132 BPM bass exercise in F major: read the TAB, check the chords bar by bar, and download it as MIDI.
- Key
- F major
- Tempo
- 132 BPM
- Feel
- On the beat
- Style
- Latin
- Length
- 4 bars, 4/4
An original exercise written for Basnote’s Riff Lab: a stylised practice pattern in the spirit of the genre, not a transcription of any recording.
About this bass line
What it trains. This line trains a calm two-note shape at 132 BPM in F major: the root held for a dotted quarter, then the fifth on the “and” of two. The shape repeats through Fmaj7 – Gm7 – C7 – Fmaj7, and bars two and four end on a slide into the next chord. Because the bass says little more than roots and fifths, the guitar’s off-beat chords carry the rhythm.
How to practise it. Start with the metronome on beats two and four, and end every note cleanly just before the next one. Keep the plucking hand light and even so the pattern sounds relaxed rather than pushed.
A common mistake. Flattening the dotted rhythm into four even beats, which turns the groove into a march.
Bass TAB (standard 4-string, E A D G)
Bossa nova · As written
Key F · 132 BPM · Tuning EADG
h hammer-on · / slide · > accent · (x) ghost note
Fmaj7
1 e & a 2 e & a 3 e & a 4 e & a
G |------------------5-----------------------5-----|
D |>3----------------------3-----------------------|
A |------------------------------------------------|
E |------------------------------------------------|
Gm7
1 e & a 2 e & a 3 e & a 4 e & a
G |------------------7-----------------------------|
D |>5----------------------5-----------------------|
A |------------------------------------/2----------|
E |------------------------------------------------|
C7
1 e & a 2 e & a 3 e & a 4 e & a
G |------------------------------------------------|
D |------------------5-----------------------5-----|
A |>3----------------------3-----------------------|
E |------------------------------------------------|
Fmaj7
1 e & a 2 e & a 3 e & a 4 e & a
G |------------------5-----------------------------|
D |>3----------------------3-----------/2----------|
A |------------------------------------------------|
E |------------------------------------------------|One bar per block, one column per sixteenth note, counted 1 e & a. Frets show one playable fingering that Basnote picks for a compact hand position; the same pitches can be played elsewhere on the neck. The line sits in Riff Lab’s register, which for some keys is an octave higher than a bassist would usually play it; drop it an octave if it feels high. On a narrow screen the TAB scrolls sideways.
Chords and bass notes, bar by bar
| Bar | Chord | Numeral | Bass notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fmaj7 | Imaj7 |
|
| 2 | Gm7 | ii7 |
|
| 3 | C7 | V7 |
|
| 4 | Fmaj7 | Imaj7 |
|
Each note shows its name, where it falls in the bar (1 e & a counting) and its role in the chord.
Download the MIDI
Each file is a Standard MIDI file (format 1) with these tracks: bass, guitar comping, piano and drums. The six variations rework the bass line and its backing; key and tempo stay the same.
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As writtenDownload basnote-bossa-nova-as-written-f-132bpm.mid
The reference riff exactly as designed for the style.
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FoundationDownload basnote-bossa-nova-foundation-f-132bpm.mid
Off-beats removed and roots on the strong beats: the learnable skeleton.
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PocketDownload basnote-bossa-nova-pocket-f-132bpm.mid
Ghost notes and a pickup into every chord change, aiming at the groove sweet spot.
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DrivenDownload basnote-bossa-nova-driven-f-132bpm.mid
Doubled subdivision for a busier, past-the-peak version to practise against.
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Half-timeDownload basnote-bossa-nova-half-time-f-132bpm.mid
Stretched to a half-time feel with long low notes holding the pulse.
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Octave liftDownload basnote-bossa-nova-octave-lift-f-132bpm.mid
The back half jumps an octave, turning the riff into a melodic line.