“Chega de Saudade” (“No More Blues”) was composed by Antônio Carlos Jobim with lyrics by Vinícius de Moraes. João Gilberto’s 1958 recording is widely considered the first bossa nova record, and the song remains one of the genre’s most important pieces.
The tune is usually played in D minor for the first section, shifting to D major for the second section. This minor-to-major shift mirrors the lyric’s journey from longing to hope. The harmony is full of secondary dominants and ii-Vs, with a long, flowing melody.
For improvisation, use D harmonic minor and Dorian in the minor section, then switch to D major for the second section. Make the shift clear by targeting F# (the major third). Keep lines soft and lyrical with straight eighth notes.
Practice with a bossa nova groove. Learn the melody from João Gilberto’s recording. Guitarists should learn the bossa comping pattern Gilberto made famous.
Section by section: the D minor section moves through minor ii-V progressions; use D harmonic minor over the A7. The D major section brightens; land on F# to mark the change. Return to the minor feel only if the arrangement repeats the first section.
Practice tip: practice switching between D minor and D major phrases every four bars.
Getting the most from the Chega De Saudade Lead Sheet PDF: start by reading the chord symbols without your instrument and humming the roots. Then circle any chord you can’t yet voice or arpeggiate, and make those your warm-up for the week before you play the whole form.
Using the Chega De Saudade Lead Sheet PDF on gigs: keep a concert-pitch copy and a copy in your instrument’s key, label the intro and ending on the page, and note the tempo and feel the band usually plays. Small notes like these keep you calm when a tune gets called on the spot.
Is it hard to play? It’s intermediate because of the long form. Recordings to study: João Gilberto’s 1958 recording and Elizete Cardoso’s earlier version. Learn more about the composer on Antônio Carlos Jobim’s Wikipedia page, and find more bossa nova lead sheets on Minedit.