Beyond Desolation

Gustavo Santaolalla’s haunting and evocative score for The Last of Us Part II — exemplifies his mastery of cinematic sound. His melodies accompany Ellie’s journey, with a signature blend of traditional Latin American instruments and modern electronic sounds. The music perfectly captures the tension, and brutality of the post-apocalyptic world.

Gustavo Santaolalla’s “Beyond Desolation” is a lullaby of despair and resilience. It paints a vivid picture of a world ravaged by both nature and humanity. This track is a testament to Santaolalla’s ability to create music that not only complements the game visuals — but also stands on its own as a work of art.

The original piece is actually played on a 6 string banjo that Gustavo Santaolalla (additionally) employed for the title theme of The Last of Us Part II. Beyond Desolation translated easily to a regular guitar, and is very doable for beginner guitar players.

I love this piece. In a guitar playing sense, Gustavo Santaolalla always seems to pick the low hanging fruit that no one else sees. His music is, often times, very easy to play — yet it sounds incredibly sophisticated.

You might also like to play…

The Last of Us HBO: Never Let Me Down Again | fingerstyle guitar + TAB

The Last of Us Part II: Longing | fingerstyle guitar + TAB

The Last of Us Part II: It Can’t Last | fingerstyle guitar + TAB

How to play Beyond Desolation | fingerstyle guitar

The guitar tab for this arrangement is beautifully written across 2 pages. I recommend Beyond Desolation for beginner guitar players and up. Enjoy, the guitar tab is available below:

My song structure looks like this, in accordance with the guitar tab:

Intro 2x, Verse 2x, Chorus

Verse 2x, Chorus

**Gustavo Santaolalla: Beyond Desolation (The Last of Us II)

Beyond Desolation is played in standard tuning with a capo on the 2nd fret.