What does a slash between chords mean?
Emma Martinez
Published Apr 13, 2026
Hereof, what does slash mean in chords?
In music, especially modern popular music, a slash chord or slashed chord, also compound chord, is a chord whose bass note or inversion is indicated by the addition of a slash and the letter of the bass note after the root note letter. It does not indicate "or". Some chords may not otherwise be notated, such as Aâ™/A.
Subsequently, question is, what is the meaning of slash guitar? A “slash chord†is a guitar chord written with two letters separated by a forward slash. (They have nothing to do with the guitarist, Slash.) Examples include C/G, Am/C, or D7/C. The first letter is the actual guitar chord name, which can be a major chord or minor chord.
Similarly, it is asked, what does a line mean on a chord?
The horizontal lines on a chord diagram represent the frets on your guitar — the metal bars that run across the neck. The highest fret, closest to the nut, is the first fret. The one below it is the second fret, and so on. Most chord diagrams show the first 4 frets.
Why do some chords have slash?
A slash chord is a chord which indicates emphasis of a bass note other than the root of the chord. When a chord is played it is typically assumed the bass will emphasize the root of the chord. Occasionally a different note is preferred and results in a chord with an alternate bass note.