1. Theoretical Foundation & Acoustic Motion
Voice leading and tension-resolution mechanics
A Rio de Janeiro progression (Imaj7 - VI13 - iim7 - V13). It floats with seaside elegance and rich 13th voicings.
Listen to Bossa Nova & Ipanema Breeze twice through
- Cmaj7
- A13
- Dm7
- G13
- Cmaj7
- A13
- Dm7
- G13
2. The progression, step by step
| Position | Chord | Degree |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cmaj7 | Imaj7 |
| 2 | A13 | VI13 |
| 3 | Dm7 | iim7 |
| 4 | G13 | V13 |
3. Chord tones and interval structure
| Chord | Chord tones | Formula |
|---|---|---|
| Cmaj7 | C – E – G – B | 1 - 3 - 5 - 7 |
| A13 | A – C# – E – G – B – F# | 1 - 3 - 5 - ♭7 - 9 - 13 |
| Dm7 | D – F – A – C | 1 - ♭3 - 5 - ♭7 |
| G13 | G – B – D – F – A – E | 1 - 3 - 5 - ♭7 - 9 - 13 |
Check it with your ear
Two short questions to solidify what you've just read. There's no grade or record, so if you get it wrong, you can listen again and try again.
Which chord does Bossa Nova & Ipanema Breeze start on and settle into?
Listen to both orders. Which one is the progression on this page?
Try it on your guitar
Play , , and with four beats per chord, slowly at first and then close to 125 BPM. Once you can play it without stopping, sing one long note over every chord and hear how its color changes even though you do not move it.
Acoustic Chords:
What you can check on the guitar
This reading uses Cmaj7, A13, Dm7 and G13, the progression CifraLab proposes for a “Bossa Nova & Ipanema Breeze” feel. What follows can be checked by playing.
From Cmaj7 to A13, E, G and B stay, but no fretted position repeats. A13 and Dm7 share A, though the hand changes shape. From Dm7 to G13, D, F and A stay, but no fretted position repeats. G13 and Cmaj7 share G, B and E, though the hand changes shape.
“Bossa Nova & Ipanema Breeze” runs at 125 beats per minute, so each beat lasts 480 milliseconds. If each chord takes one bar of four beats, the full cycle lasts 7.7 seconds. Read in C major, its degrees are Imaj7, VI13, iim7 and V13.
In Cmaj7 you hear C, E, G and B. A13 holds A, C#, E, G, B and F#. In Dm7 you hear D, F, A and C. G13 holds G, B, D, F, A and E.