slash chords theory

[JDC]

I've been reading theory again, just wondering if when a slash chord counts as more than one chord, ie G/C (CGBD) could be Gadd11/C or a Bmadd9-/5+/C

does this mean in say the key of C I could use it as a V or a VII chord?

and if so does this mean a power chord could technically be a sus4 (no5) inversion???

[QS-Nalle]

Does it sound good?.......If yes, use it......and stop reading too much :D  :D

[ailean]

Damn, that was so far over my head I couldn't hear the engines.  :oops:

[stuh84]

Basically, you are looking at it as if every chord is also an inversion of another. Technically they are, but they don't sound like it.

A G/C will sound like a G chord with a C in the bass, same as if you do a powerchord but throw in another 5th below it rather than the lowest note being the root, sure, technically its a Sus4 chord, but does it actually sound like that?

You are best thinking of chords in their lowest common denominator, in terms of rather than thinking of, lets say Am/G, with the notes GACE, in G you would be looking at a G6add9 minus the third, but if the song you are playing is in A minor, it will just sound like A minor with a G in the bass, hence its just an Am/G

[Elliot]

I think the error is that you are not thinking diatonically - not within the scale:

I understand it G/C is a way of notating a 2nd inversion C chord - i.e. G C E as opposed to C E G - I don't understand how you arrive at CGBD which contains 2 and a 7 and according to my computer chord calculator is C Major 7th Suspended 2nd.

I googled this explanation up:

http://guitarsecrets.com/lessons/inversions.htm

Also whats a Sus4(No5) inversion?  How can a power chord, which is a r-5-r construction with no 3, be of the Sus4 family - it contains no 4?

[Elliot]

doh Stuh be me to it.

[gingataff]

Also whats a Sus4(No5) inversion?  How can a power chord, which is a r-5-r construction with no 3, be of the Sus4 family - it contains no 4?

I presume it's because if you invert r-5-r you kind of get 4-r-4 ?
I wouldn't count it anyway as it's a diad, which in my opinion is just a fancy name for a doublestop so chord theory doesn't apply :P

Edited for the over zealous use of the word 'anyway'.

[hamfist]

Damn, that was so far over my head I couldn't hear the engines.  :oops:

Rich, it's not often that we're on the same wavelength, but this time we're riding the same board !!!

[Elliot]

Gingertaff - thanks for that.  I must confess that I am at the limit of my theory knowledge - but is there a link between chord inversions (i.e. the order you play notes in a chord as shown by slash chords) and major/minor inversions within a scale.  Do the two relate?

[ToneMonkey]

My god I'm wishing that I didn't open this thread  PDT_009

[Roobubba]

And I'm wishing you hadn't bumped it up again.


Damn it, now I've done it!

heheh

[AndyR]

I might be wrong here, but I think it's simpler than discussed so far...

I've always used the "slash" notation to denote chord/bassnote. From a songwriter's point of view, it's very useful on lead sheets where you don't want to write out the whole arrangement with complex chords, but the bass notes are very important to you.

So although technically it is creating some inversion of a sus4, I'd read the G/C above as shorthand for a G chord (some variation of GBD) played by the chord instruments, with a required C in the bass part (be it from the bassist, keyboard player, or the guitar player if he/she can reach it all on the guitar!).

I'd use it to indicate moving bass lines under chords:

C ---- C/D ---- C/E ---- F ----
or
C ---- C/B ---- Am ---- Fm/Ab

or pedal bass lines under moving chords:

C ---- Dm/C ---- F/C ---- G/C -----

That kind of thing. I used to find it very useful in a band where the bass-player was convinced he should always play the root note of whatever chord I was playing!

[Elliot]

Ooops re-reading things I got the chord wrong - I must have tired or drunk but I could swear I read C/G not G/C the first time around.  Doh.

Still the theory is right - the slash chord represents an inversion (i.e. a different note, the one after the slash , is put in the bass).  A clear explanation is here:


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slash_chord