Bossa Nova ii–V–I Cycle in C — Samba Harmônica

The ii–V–I cadence in bossa nova is the fundamental building block of the style. Every bossa nova song is essentially a sequence of ii–V–I moves that resolve in and out of different keys. Tom Jobim's genius was to chain these cadences with unusual voice-leading so the key center shifts constantly without ever feeling abrupt. "The Girl from Ipanema," "Wave," and "How Insensitive" are all built on this principle. This arrangement cycles the ii–V–I through four keys: C, F, Bb, and Eb — a progression down the cycle of fifths. In each key, the ii chord is a minor 7th, the V is a dominant 7th with extension (9th or 13th), and the I is a major 7th. The transitions between keys are smooth because each V7 chord acts as a bridge to the next tonal center. At advanced level, the bossa nova guitarist plays the full arrangement without accompaniment — bass, chords, and implied melody all emerge from a single guitar in the João Gilberto tradition. The bass alternates between root and 5th on the thumb while the fingers comp the chord rhythm above.