Chords
Slash chord
A slash chord is written Chord/Note: the chord comes before the slash and the lowest note after it. C/G means a C major chord with G in the bass.
What does a slash chord mean?
Read C/G as "C over G": the left side is the chord, the right side is the bass note, the one you play on the lowest sounding string. Everything above it stays a C chord.
There are two families:
- The bass belongs to the chord: C/E (third in the bass) or C/G (fifth in the bass). This is simply an inversion written in a way that is easy to read.
- The bass is foreign to the chord: D/C (C under a D chord) or F/G (G under an F chord). You get a new colour: D/C sounds like D7 with the seventh in the bass, F/G like G9sus4.
How do you play common slash chords?
Checked fingerings, from the low E string to the high E:
| Chord | Fingering | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| G/B | x20033 | B D G D G |
| C/E | 032010 | E C E G C E |
| C/G | 332010 | G C E G C E |
| D/F# | 2x0232 | F# D A D F# |
| Am/G | 3x2210 | G E A C E |
| D/C | x30232 | C D A D F# |
| F/G | 3x3211 | G F A C F |
For D/F#, many players hook the thumb over the neck to fret the F# (low E string, 2nd fret). If that feels awkward, fret the F# with your middle finger and mute the A string with the side of it.
Example to play: a walking-down bass line
The main job of slash chords is to create a stepwise bass line under chords that barely change. Play this in C major, two beats per chord:
C (x32010), G/B (x20033), Am (x02210), Am/G (3x2210), F (133211, or xx3211 without the barre), C/E (032010), Dm (xx0231), G (320003).
The bass walks down C, B, A, G, F, E, D, then jumps to G. Strum slowly and accent the lowest note: you will hear a second melody under the chords. It is textbook voice leading applied to the bass.
Common slash chord mistakes
- Ignoring the bass: playing a plain C instead of C/G loses the line the arranger wrote, especially when you play alone.
- Letting a lower string ring: on G/B the low E string must stay muted, otherwise the bass turns back into G.
- Confusing it with a polychord: a horizontal line (one chord stacked over another) means two full chords, not just a bass note.
- Misnaming the chord: the root is not necessarily the bass note. In C/E the root is still C.
Key takeaways
- Chord/Note: chord on the left, lowest note on the right.
- Bass inside the chord = inversion, bass outside the chord = new colour.
- G/B, C/E, D/F# and Am/G cover most songs.
- Unsure about a shape? Place it in the chord identifier: it names the chord and its inversions.
Frequently asked questions
How do you say C/G?
Say "C over G" or "C with G in the bass". Either way, the note after the slash goes in the bass and the chord before the slash sits on top.
Is every slash chord an inversion?
No. It is an inversion only if the bass note is part of the chord (C/E, C/G). D/C or F/G put a note outside the triad in the bass and really form other chords: D7 with the seventh in the bass, and G9sus4.
What if I can't reach the bass note?
In a band, leave it to the bass player and play the main chord. Alone, at least sound the bass note on beat one, even on its own, then strum the chord on the higher strings.
Related terms
Practise in the workshop
Take it from theory to the fretboard
Open the workshop tools and see this idea across the whole neck. Free account, no card needed.