It Can’t Last

It Can’t Last is a dynamic little song from The Last of Us Part II soundtrack by Gustavo Santaolalla. This piece is played on a Ronroco — which is a tiny, 5 string Andean guitar. [Actually 10 strings, as two strings create a single string. Much like a 12 guitar as 6 strings in reality.]

I like the timing of It Can’t Last. It’s basic 4/4, but with an eclectic feel. The song structure is classic Santaolalla; a journey from beginning to end. It never returns to the original motif.

With The Last of Us Part II soundtrack, Santaolalla is playing multiple themes in an upper and lower register. The lower variation is called, It Can’t Last (Home). Usually I can combine both into one single guitar piece, but this song was too dynamic. I’ll have the home variation available down the road.

You might also like to play…

Gustavo Santaolalla: Impermanence + TAB

Gustavo Santaolala: Brokeback Mountain 1 + TAB
(my favorite piece of music ever)

Any of Gustavo Santaolalla’s music from The Last of Us Parts 1 and 2.

How to play It Can’t Last | fingerstyle guitar

The guitar tab for this piece is beautifully written across two pages. Although the chord shapes are easy, this song feels more suited to intermediate level guitar players. You’ll take care to repeat (twice) the sections within the repeat brackets.  Enjoy, the guitar tab is available below:

(Note: you’ll be tuning strings up for this piece so please be careful of breakage.)

**Gustavo Santaolalla: It Can’t Last | fingerstyle guitar

This song is in an Open A minor tuning. You’ll tune your guitar like this, from low to high: E A E A C E. Then you’ll play a capo on the 7th fret.

[Your tuning (with capo on) will look like this, from low to high: B E B E G B.]

If your guitar isn’t a cutaway and the 7th fret is too cumbersome, just apply your capo to the 5th fret and play the song in a slightly lower register.