“One Note Samba” (“Samba de Uma Nota Só”) was composed by Antônio Carlos Jobim with lyrics by Newton Mendonça around 1960. As the title suggests, much of the melody stays on a single note while the chords move underneath, a clever demonstration of how harmony can change the feel of one pitch.
The tune is often played in Bb or C major. The A sections keep the melody on one note while the chords descend chromatically, creating a shifting, colorful background. The bridge breaks out with a more active melody that moves through a scale before returning to the single-note section.
For improvisation, take a cue from the melody: try a chorus where you play only one or two notes and let the harmony do the work. This teaches you how a single note functions differently over each chord. Then expand, outlining the descending chords with their thirds and sevenths.
Practice with a bossa nova groove, keeping eighth notes straight. Pianists and guitarists should practice the chromatic chord movement smoothly. Learn the melody by singing it; the lyrics explain the concept humorously.
How to use this One Note Samba Lead Sheet PDF: print it or keep it on a tablet, mark the form sections and key centers in pencil, and write the guide tones you want to target above the tricky bars. Revisit those notes after each practice session so the tune gets easier every week.
Getting the most from the One Note Samba 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.
Is it hard to play? The melody is easy; the harmony is intermediate. Recordings to study: Jobim’s versions, Stan Getz and Charlie Byrd’s Jazz Samba and Ella Fitzgerald’s scat version. Learn more about the composer on Antônio Carlos Jobim’s Wikipedia page, and find more bossa nova lead sheets on Minedit.