Inversion: Slash chords

2 different chord letters separated by a slash mark.
It looks as if you are given a choice between 2 chords.

This is when a composer wants a certain sound and wishes to telll you so in the chord symbols.

C/E - E bass note with a C major triad.


Instead of jumping all over the keyboard to hit the root of each chord, the bass line here assumes a smoother, more melodic character. THere is more step wise movement than is possible with root position chords. By giving the bass line a 'tune' of its own, there is a more interesting relationship between the bass and the melody.

Try playing only the bass and the melody for each version and you will immediately hear the diffeernce.

The interaction between the bass and melody is an imp part of good harmony for all kinds of music, be it pop, jazz, rock or classical.

Contemporary popular music tends to be specific indicating slash chods, while older fake books generally indicate only root chord names.

The main reason for this is that the harmonic language of pop music has become a little more sophisticated, and specific inversions and voicings are sometimes needed to get exactly the right sound.

By now you should play our own versions of your fake charts.

Your ears must always be the guide i how you are going to accompany am eldoy.

Playing from a fake book is a kind of improvisation within a structured harmonic and melodic framework, it might be worthwhile to write out your accompaniment patterns in sketch form at first.

It will help you creat and remember good musical ideas and will give you practicing more structure.