The guitar tab (chords and melody) for “Desafinado” is available for download as a PDF.
Desafinado
“Desafinado” was composed in 1958 by Antônio Carlos Jobim with lyrics by Newton Mendonça. Written during the birth of bossa nova in Rio de Janeiro, its title means “slightly out of tune.” The melody’s unexpected intervals and chromatic turns playfully answered critics who claimed the new style’s soft singing sounded off-key.
The song gained international prominence through Stan Getz and Charlie Byrd’s 1962 album Jazz Samba. Vocal versions by João Gilberto further defined its cool, understated charm. Musicians relish its sly harmonic shifts, which make the supposed “wrong notes” sound knowingly, irresistibly right.
Video
In the video below, I perform the piece as transcribed.
Guitar Tab
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