The guitar tab (chords and melody) for “Nuages” is available for download as a PDF.
Nuages
“Nuages” was composed in 1940 by Django Reinhardt during the German occupation of Paris. An instrumental waltz-like ballad, it became one of the defining works of Gypsy jazz. First recorded by Reinhardt with the Quintette du Hot Club de France, the piece offered a quiet, lyrical contrast to the era’s turmoil and quickly resonated with French audiences.
Its haunting melody led to later lyrics by Jacques Larue, and it has since been interpreted by artists including Stéphane Grappelli. Anecdotes suggest that even occupying German officers admired the tune. Over time, “Nuages” evolved into a jazz standard, prized for its harmonic subtlety and introspective mood.
Video
In the video below, I perform the piece as transcribed.
Guitar Tab
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