Berimbau is a song by Brazilian guitarist Baden Powell . Its simple structure and basic seventh chords make it a good entry point into the world of Brazilian guitar music and bossa nova.
The berimbau is a traditional Brazilian musical instrument. It is mainly used in the well-known sport Capoeira and consists of a wire and a wooden body. Listen to the song and the sound of a berimbau in the well-known recording by Astrud Gilberto.
Berimbau Bossa Nova Chords
In the original key of D minor, Berimbau is a good song to introduce you to the world of bossa nova chords. The intro and verse of the song only consist of two chords each. Only the chorus requires a little more practice. Here you can see the sheet music for the catchy rhythmic pattern at the beginning of the piece:
This part is already an excellent rhythmic training and represents the sound of the Brazilian guitar. In the following verse there are two simple basic seventh chords: A-minor7 and D-minor7. The basic Bossa Nova rhythm is very suitable for accompanying this part and can be varied if necessary.
If these fingerings are completely unknown to you, you can  get an overview of the simplest chords in the introduction to the Bossa Nova seventh chords .
The Chorus Level up your Chords!
There are some advanced seventh chords in the chorus that can be challenging for a beginner. However, this part can be mastered with a little practice. See the logical progression of the first four chords from one fingering to the next in the diagram. In particular, the smooth transition from Gm7 to C7(9) can be practiced very well by working slowly and precisely.Â
In general, when doing chord change exercises, it is important to pay attention to the simultaneous movement of the individual fingers. Slow motion is absolutely necessary here! Â
You can find the complete arrangement for advanced beginners in the shop.