Slash Chords Part 2

Now, I recently did a video about slash chords, but this one picks up where that video left off. There’s a little bit of a review at the beginning, so it might seem similar to my first slash chord video, but then it expands on the topic.

Recently, I was on a live stream with my friend Tommaso Zilio, where he went into great depth about slash chords. A lot of people get confused by slash chords, but they’re often just a way to express, more simply, the inversion of the chord you’re playing.

What Is a Slash Chord?

Here’s how it works:

• The first letter is the chord.
• The second letter after the slash is the bass note.

If you don’t know how to play the whole thing as a guitarist, you can just play the chord (the first half), and ignore the bass note—let the bassist handle it. That’s totally fine!

Whenever there’s a slash chord, think of it as teamwork:

• The guitarist reads and plays the left half (the chord).
• The bassist reads and plays the right half (the bass note).

It works out perfectly. It’s amazing!

If you’re a more advanced player or the only instrument in the band, you’ll need to combine the two. To do this, play the chord and make sure the note after the slash is the lowest note you play.

Examples and Variations

Let’s say you’re working with C major:

• A slash chord might look like C/E or C/G.
• Here, E or G would be the bass notes.

Sometimes, though, you’ll see a slash chord where the bass note isn’t part of the chord. For example, the bass note could be A or F#, even though those notes aren’t in a C major chord. In these cases, it’s no longer just a triad inversion—it’s something else. It might be more complex, but the same principle applies:

• The guitarist plays the chord.
• The bassist plays the bass note.

A Common Use: Descending Bass Lines

A great example is the C → G/B → A minor progression.

• In C, the bass is C (the root).
• In G/B, the bass moves to B.
• In A minor, the bass goes down to A.

This creates a smooth, descending bass line: C → B → A.

It’s a very common musical technique that you’ll hear in songs like:

• “Stairway to Heaven” (later in the song)
• “Landslide” by Fleetwood Mac
• “Dust in the Wind” by Kansas

Historical Perspective

This technique goes way back—Bach used it! For example:

• A progression like E minor/G → B major/F# → E minor features a descending bass line (G → F# → E) and an ascending line (E → F# → G) happening at the same time.

It’s an old but effective trick that’s been used for centuries, and it still works beautifully in modern music.

Why It’s So Popular

This type of progression, often called a "descending cliché," adds movement and emotion to a piece. Starting from the root note, the bass line typically descends to the fifth note of the scale, although it can stop earlier or go further. Each note in the bass is paired with a chord, creating a rich harmonic texture.

You’ll find this in countless songs, such as:

• “Goodbye to Romance” by Ozzy Osbourne
• “A Whiter Shade of Pale” by Procol Harum

Remember to always have fun with your guitar and I’ll see you next time…

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About Mark Turko: Mark Turko is a professional guitar player and instructor with over 30 years of experience and teaches guitar lessons online.