Lambada – Kaoma Guitar Tabs – Melody – Chords

Lambada is the worldwide hit recorded by Kaoma and released in 1989 on the album Worldbeat. The song became one of the most recognizable international hits of the late 1980s and introduced the lambada rhythm to global audiences.

The melody of Lambada is based on the 1981 Bolivian song “Llorando Se Fue” by Los Kjarkas. After its release, a legal dispute confirmed the original authorship of the melody.

The track sold over 5 million copies in 1989 and reached number 1 in multiple European countries, including 12 consecutive weeks at number 1 in France. It also reached number 4 in the UK and number 46 on the US Billboard Hot 100.

This arrangement is created for educational purposes and is intended to help guitar players understand and perform the famous Lambada melody on guitar.

What chords are used in Lambada on guitar

In my arrangement, the chords have been expanded with the added seventh, giving them a richer and more “Latin” character compared to simple major and minor chords.

The suggested chord shapes are mostly played on strings A5–B2.
An exception is Gm7, which can be comfortably played across all six strings — in this case the root lies on the E6 string.

Some chord shapes require the use of a barre.

How to practice the chords in Lambada

The best way to learn this piece is to practice in stages:

• Play each chord melodically — picking its individual notes one by one.

• Play the chord harmonically — all notes together in one stroke.

• Practice chord changes slowly, focusing on clean sound.

• Gradually increase the tempo.

This approach helps you master chord transitions faster and maintain smooth playing.

Lambada rhythm on guitar

The character of the piece is based on a pulsing, dance-like groove.
I recommend practicing it as a sixteenth-note strumming pattern, with a slight accent on the weaker beats of the bar.

At first, play very slowly and keep your right hand moving evenly — only then start speeding up.

What scale works for improvisation in Lambada

For improvisation over the Lambada chords, the following scales work well:

• D natural minor scale (D Aeolian)

• D minor pentatonic scale

The simplest approach is to start with the pentatonic scale and gradually add notes from the full minor scale.

Is Lambada difficult on guitar?

The piece can be considered easy to intermediate level.

The biggest challenges are:

• smooth barre chord transitions

• maintaining the dance groove

• controlling right-hand dynamics

Once these elements are under control, Lambada becomes a very rewarding piece to play and works great for accompaniment practice.

Lambada is not only a famous hit, but also an excellent study piece for rhythm, chords, and improvisation. For guitarists, it provides good practice in chord-change fluency, right-hand control, and consciously shaping the musical mood through dynamics and chord color. After mastering these elements, Lambada becomes not only a recognizable tune to perform, but also valuable material for developing musicality and stylistic awareness.

Original guitar arrangement: Guitar-Lab