Brazilian Rhythms 101: The Essential Guide to Brazilian Samba Patterns

► Free Jazz Piano Crash Course: Bass Lines in Samba The bass patterns in Samba are driven by the left hand. Samba can be defined as a 2 layer rhythm where 1 rhythm is non-syncopated. The bass line pattern is the non-syncopated element and this is performed by the Surdo drum in the Samba band. The Accent On The 2nd Beat If you are used to playing a lot of European inspired music, you might find it unusual to place the emphasis on the 2nd beat. Using western classical music as an example, you will notice that the accents are always on the downbeat. In Brazilian music, the accent is placed on the 2nd beat. The Syncopated Element The second layer of the Samba is a syncopated line which takes the role of the Tamborim drum. You must have the non-syncopated line of the Surdo in order to achieve the combination of these rhythms. This left-hand bass line gives the right-hand line a reference from which to be syncopated. #BrazilianRhythmicPatterns #SambaRhythms&Variations