Girl from Ipanema
by Antonio Carlos Jobim
tabbed by Grzegorz Panek
This tune is best played on nylon stringed classical guitar. But you can do it on a Western
acoustic too. I like it on an overdriven dreadnought or a hollow body, it has a sort of mellow
tone. The most difficult part of the song is the timing. But the tune is generally known, and you
probably already know the melody. In the tab, I added different chord shapes in brackets. Those
indicators of what is going t ohappen next, and what fingering to hold for a given line.
If you have any questions... grzegpanek@op.pl
Or PM me at GTU, then I'll reply quicker.
Intro:
e)--(0)--0---0-------0----(0)--0------0---0----0--
B)--(1)--1---1-------1----(2)--2------2---2----2--
G)--(2)--2---2-------2----(3)--3------3---3----3--
D)--(3)--3-------3--------(4)------4--------------
A)--(3)-------------------(4)-------------4-------
E)------------------------------------------------
The above intro is quite important, because once you get the bossa nova rythm it displays,
you're ready to work out the timing for the whole song. It's slightly swinging, generally
bass notes are played on 1 and 3, which means the second beat starts not with the shape
moved up, but with F# bass note on the D4 string The opening chord is a shape (shown in
brackets) similar to the C major chord, in fact it's F7M, then you just move it a step
higher, to get F#7, which is a flat-5 substitute chord for the dominant.
Yes, Ipanema is in F :)
Play the above two times. Then we move to the actual theme:
e)-(3)------3------0--0----------3------0--------0------------------------
B)-(1)------1------1--1--3-------1------1--------1-----3------------------
G)-(2)------2------2--2--2-------2------2--------2-----2------------------
D)------------------------------------------------------------------------
A)------------------------------------------------------------------------
E)-(1)------1----------------1---------------1----------------------------
Now the shape in brackets is put there to show the fingering of that part. It can be
played without left hand thumb. Classical players wouldn't use it, but most fingerstylers
would. Using the thumb for the low E string makes the tune much easier. We can do it
throughout the song. So put your thumb on low E 1st fret. Index goes on the B string,
middle on G3, and e1 is done with pinkie. You'll need your ring finger for something else.
For the a minor shape just left the pinkie... and then ring goes to the B string
only to play the d sound on the 3rd fret
e)-(3)--3--------------------3------------------------------------------
B)-(5)--5---5---5---5--------5-----5--------5--(4)----4/3----------------
G)-(4)--4---4---4---4--------4-----4--------4--(5)----5/4----------------
D)-(3)------3---3---3--------------3--------3--(4)----4/3----------------
A)-(3)------------------------------------------------------------------
E)-(3)--3----------------3--------------3--------------------------------
Now rythmically the above fragment is identical to the previous one. No left hand thumb
here, were doing a barre with index on the whole 3rd fret. Middle for G3 string, ring
for B2, to form a shape similar to G13 (shown in brackets). Then, at the end of the
lick, we have a chord slide done with fingers in the D major shape.
e)--(1)---1---------------------(0)---0-----------------------------------
B)--(3)---3-----3---3---1-------(1)---1---1---1----------------------------
G)--(3)---3-----3---3---3-------(3)-------3---3-----3----------------------
D)--------------------------------------------------2----------------------
A)------------------------------------------------------------------------
E)--(3)---3----------------3----(2)---2-----------------2------------------
Here we'll use thumb again for the low E string. Index goes on high e, b and g strings
are covered by pinkie and ring. Then you raise the pinkie and get the c sound played by index
on the b2 string. index remains there, thumb goes one fret down and we get to the second
bracketed shape.
Ring is for the g string, middle for d second fret.
Theme ending 1:
e)-----------------------------------------3-------
B)----1--------1------2---2-------------2----2/1---
G)----2--------2------3---3----------3-------------
D)----2--------2------3---3-------3----------------
A)-------------------------------------------------
E)-1-------1----------2---2------------------------
No brackets here, because this one is easy. You can make a barre, but again it's easier to
use the fretting thumb, the rest is done just like A minor shape, then you move the whole shape
one fret higher to the closing chord.
The fill after that is a linking device before restarting the theme.
After this you play the theme from the start once again:
e)-(3)------3------0--0----------3------0--------0---------
B)-(1)------1------1--1--3-------1------1--------1-----3---
G)-(2)------2------2--2--2-------2------2--------2-----2---
D)---------------------------------------------------------
A)---------------------------------------------------------
E)-(1)------1----------------1---------------1-------------
e)-(3)--3--------------------3-----------------------------
B)-(5)--5---5---5---5--------5-----5--------5--(4)----4/3--
G)-(4)--4---4---4---4--------4-----4--------4--(5)----5/4--
D)-(3)------3---3---3--------------3--------3--(4)----4/3--
A)-(3)-----------------------------------------------------
E)-(3)--3----------------3--------------3-------------------
e)--(1)---1---------------------(0)---0---------------------
B)--(3)---3-----3---3---1-------(1)---1---1---1-------------
G)--(3)---3-----3---3---3-------(3)-------3---3-----3-------
D)--------------------------------------------------2-------
A)----------------------------------------------------------
E)--(3)---3----------------3----(2)---2-----------------2---
But then, instead of theme ending 1, a sort of bridge begins:
e)----------------------------------------------------------
B)-(1)----------1--------1----------1--------1---------------
G)-(2)----------2--------2----------2--------2--------------
D)-(2)----------2--------2----------2--------2---------------
A)----------------------------------------------------------
E)-(1)------1--------1----------1--------1-------------------
[ Tab from: https://www.guitartabs.cc/tabs/j/jobim_antonio_carlos/girl_from_ipanema_tab.html ]
Just like the chord in theme ending 1, but here the major 7th doesn't resolve on tonic.
We can fret the chord like an ordinare A minor again with the thumb on 6th string 1st fret.
You just repeat it as tabbed. Note that the rythm sets up the timing for most of the bridge
part.
e)-(1)-------1-------1------1-----------2--1------1------------
B)-(2)-------2-------2------2------------------4------4---------
G)-(3)-------3-------3------3-----------------------------------
D)-----------------------------------------------------------
A)----------------------------------------------------------
E)-(2)---2-------2---------------2-----------------------------
The easiest way to do this is to use the thumb on low 6th string again. Index - 1st string,
middle - 2nd string, ring - 3rd string. Then the fill follows the
"one fret - one finger" principle: index for 1st fret, middle for 2nd, pinkie for 4th.
e)------------------------------------------------------
B)-(2)--2---------4--------------2---------4------------
G)-(2)-----2----------2--------------2------------------
D)-(2)--------2------------------------2-------2--------
A)------------------------------------------------------
E)-(2)--2-----------------2------2-----------------2----
This can be easily barred with index, adding ring for 2nd string 4th fret. However if you
feel more convenient with thumb fretting, you can use your thumb on 6th string 2nd fret,
barring the rest with index.
The shapes of the above two lines will be now repeated almost without changes, just higher
on the neck:
e)--(4)-----4-----4----4------5--4-------4-------------
B)--(5)-----5-----5----5-------------7------7---5---7--
G)--(6)-----6-----6----6-------------------------------
D)-----------------------------------------------------
A)-----------------------------------------------------
E)--(5)--5------5----------5---------------------------
The fingering is exactly the same as two lines above, just higher on the neck. Thumb for 6th
string, index, middle and ring for 1, 2, 3 strings. Then stick to the 1 finger per fret
principle. This fill is a bit denser than before.
e)----------------------------------------------
B)-(5)--5--------7------------------------------
G)-(5)-----5------------------------------------
D)-(5)--------5-----5~~-------------------------
A)----------------------------------------------
E)-(5)--5----------------5----------------------
Again look two lines higher for the same pattern around the 2nd fret. This time we play the
phrase just once.
Now comes the phrase we already know, just moved higher:
e)-----5-------5------5---------6----5------5-------
B)-----6-------6------6-----------------8-------8---
G)-----7-------7------7-----------------------------
D)--------------------------------------------------
A)--------------------------------------------------
E)--6------6---------------6------------------------
No explanation needed here :)
e)-----------------------------------------------5--6----
B)-(6)--6---------8--------------6---------8-------------
G)-(6)-----6----------6--------------6-------------------
D)-(6)--------6------------------------6-----------------
A)-------------------------------------------------------
E)-(6)--6-----------------6------6-----------------------
Now unlike at the 5th fret here the phrase is played twice, almost twice. The 5,6 frets on 1 string
are going to prepare us for the following chord:
e)-8----------------------------4---4---5-----
B)-5-----------5--6---8---------4---4---4-----
G)-5---5---7--------------------5---5---5-----
D)--------------------------------------------
A)-0------------------------5-----------5-----
E)--------------------------------------------
Now that's a bit difficult part. First of all the C6 chord. It's a shape similar to
long A used in blues, just higher. You put a barre with your index accross 3 or 4 strings
and play 1st string 8 fret with your pinkie. Then we have a simple scale run and another chord
which I do as follows ring on 5th string for the bass note, middle on G string, index on
B and high E forth fret, leaving pinkie for 1st string 5th fret. This is how I do it.
You may also try barring the whole on the 4th fret and adding sounds on the 5th one.
The above phrase is repeated lower. The fill pattern changes, to keep up with the F major scale:
e)--6------------------------2---2--------------
B)--3---------3--5--6--------2---2--------------
G)--3---3--5-----------------3---3--------------
D)----------------------------------------------
A)------------------------3----------3----------
E)--3-------------------------------------------
Now again you can help yourself with the thumb on 6th string, putting index barre for 3 2 1
strings and doing the 1st string 6th fret with the pinkie. Notice that the other shape is easier,
it doesn't get as complex as in the previous line. ring for 5 string, middle for 3rd, index for
1st and 2nd.
Now we have the whole bridge. After that the main theme, or its part recurs:
e)-(3)------3------0--0----------3------0--------0------------------------
B)-(1)------1------1--1--3-------1------1--------1-----3------------------
G)-(2)------2------2--2--2-------2------2--------2-----2------------------
D)------------------------------------------------------------------------
A)------------------------------------------------------------------------
E)-(1)------1----------------1---------------1----------------------------
e)-(3)--3--------------------3------------------------------------------
B)-(5)--5---5---5---5--------5-----5--------5------3----------------
G)-(4)--4---4---4---4--------4-----4--------4------4----------------
D)-(3)------3---3---3--------------3--------3------3----------------
A)-(3)------------------------------------------------------------------
E)-(3)--3----------------3--------------3--------------------------------
That's exactly what I tabbed at the beginning. But now comes the ending:
e)-(5)--5---------------------8-----------------0-----------------
B)-(6)--6-----6--6--6---------5---5--5--5-------1-----------------
G)-(3)--3-----3--3--3---------6------------7----2-----------------
D)-(3)------------------------4-----------------------------------
A)-(3)------------------------------------------------------------
E)-(3)--3---------------3-----------------------1-----------------
The chord opening this line is easy. Barre accross the 3rd fret, ring on 1st string,
pinikie on the 2nd. But the other one is the real pain in... index 4 string, ring 3 string,
middle 2nd string and pinkie 1st string. You might need a little practice and stretching to get
this chord right, especially on a nylon stringed classical. The final chord can be fretted like
A minor, with the thumb on the 6th string.
That's about it.
Good luck!
and
Enjoy!
