If you are now at ease playing the samba rhythm and chords, we can add on the melody. In discussing the rhythm of samba, I mentioned the displacement of the rhythm of the melody over the rhythm of the accompaniment and explained how a stable accompaniment allows the melody to be adventurous and 'float' over it. To clarify, I have simplified the melody of our study to show, step by step, how this displacement is arrived at.

First of all play through the following melody strictly as written.

Now examine the following, comparing the two lines.

The top line is the melody that we have just played. The bottom line is the same melody (that is the same pitch notes), but developed rhythmically within the samba idiom. Look at both lines and note that on the bottom line there are forwards or backwards displacements of the melody notes and/or expanding or contracting time values of those notes. For example, at A in the first bar, the note C is lengthened by a semi-quaver thereby displacing backwards, by the same amount, the note D. The E in the second bar is displaced forwards, over the bar line, by a semi-quaver, which consequently shortens the value of that same D. The E itself keeps its same time value of a minim (8 semi-quavers) and the D at the beginning of the third bar is displaced forwards into the second bar to fill the semi-quaver space.

This process continues through the whole melody and the resultant music looks quite complicated. I would advise working through the whole piece to become aware of the changes caused by developing the rhythm before moving onto the next section, which is the samba complete, with rhythm, chord structures and melody synchronized. I should mention here that this kind of analysis can be applied to any musical idiom, not just that of samba. When you have the developed melody clear in your mind, it is a good idea to play the accompaniment one more time while you sing, hum or think it through. The guitar being what it is, some fingering changes will have to be made in places to accommodate the melody, but overall, the patterns fall under the fingers.

Practice first of all at a slow tempo and let the music 'pull itself up to speed. As you get used to the piece, try to feel the melody 'floating' over the top of the accompaniment. The accenting of the music should cause you to feel that you are regenerating the rhythm. If you are accenting properly you will be able to feel that the rhythm wants to continue. If you do not accent properly playing will feel like hard work and you will feel as though you are working hard to maintain momentum.

The essential instruments of samba are rhythm instruments percussion, and in playing samba on solo guitar one is to some degree attempting to evoke that atmosphere created by those percussion instruments. To do this effectively, one needs to be aware of which instruments are involved and what particular rhythms they play.

A few years ago, I was invited to attend a rehearsal at a samba school in Rio. (We were about 3 months before carnival.) We arrived in time for the start of the rehearsal I would say here that, because many of the players arrive from the street already playing, the start of the rehearsal is not a time that a visitor would easily recognize. In fact, to an uninitiated visitor, 'chaos' is a word that would spring readily to mind. If I were to say that at more or less the beginning there are about 1,000 people filling the hall; half way down one side of the hall is a band consisting of saxophone, trombone, accordion, piano, guitar, cavaquinho, bass and drums, each instrument either tuning up or practising, and then, at the end of the hall, there is what, without any exaggeration, could be called the rhythm section some 50 percussion players 'doing their thing'. Add in the bar and the cafe and the audience and a very resonant hall, always bearing in mind that the Brazilian temperament is not known for its quietness, then you have some idea of a rehearsal at a samba school. The real leader on such an occasion is the man with the whistle and although it would be difficult to say honestly that he controlled things, it could be said that his whistling had some effect on some of the people. I arrived at about 8 in the evening and left at 3.30 in the morning with the rehearsal in full swing. After about an hour, the body 'breathes' with the rhythm and far from getting tired of it I felt it as a kind of 'life support system'. In fact, when I do get tired of it, I go to sleep on it and re-awaken to it when I am rested. In all events it was an experience that I have never forgotten. The samba school really is more like a community meeting in the common cause of samba than a school in the English sense. Throughout the year, there are weekly meetings and routines are prepared for the Carnival. Music is composed, dances are arranged and costumes are created. The organizing is done so that finally, at the time of carnival, the school can present its show. There is the song 'Felicidade', by Vinicius de Moraes and Tom Jobim, which tells of these preparations of a year for a few days of freedom in the carnival, where the feeling of unity amongst those involved validates the whole year's work.

The rhythm section itself is the mainstay of the carnival and street dancing in Rio and this collection of percussion instruments and players is known as batucada. There are 10 basic instruments in Batucada and we shall close this article by listing these instruments and the particular rhythms that they play.