Bossa Nova (Two-Bar Clave) was the Daily Beat for 27 October 2026: a two-bar Latin drum groove at 120 BPM, rebuilt by ear on a kick, snare and hi-hat grid. The grid itself is not shown here, so the puzzle is still worth playing.
What to listen for
Soft and swaying. The rim tells a story that takes two bars to finish. Light, even and understated. The cross-stick phrase leads; the kick should be felt more than heard. Find the snare first, then place the kick around it and count the hi-hat last.
Where to hear this feel
Records in this family include João Gilberto – Desafinado and Antônio Carlos Jobim – Wave. They are listening suggestions for the feel, not transcriptions.
Practise the full groove
The Bossa Nova page has the full library version of this feel: how to count it, how to practise it and a play-along at any tempo. Or set the metronome to 120 BPM and play along with the groove.
Play today’s Daily Beat
A new two-bar drum groove arrives at midnight your time. Listen, rebuild it on the kick, snare and hi-hat grid, and check your guess. You have five guesses, and a hint about the feel unlocks after three.