Uploaded January 2018 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Slash chords come up pretty regularly in the comments underneath my piano tutorials, so I thought this first episode in my new Piano Questions Answered series was a good place to explain them.
More on piano chords in my book, How To Really Play The Piano: billspianopages.com/how-to-really
Slash chords aren't massively complicated: they're just a quick way of specifying which bass note should be played under a particular chord. If you see a chord without a slash, it implies that the root is the bass note - i.e., the note that the chord is named after. If a slash is used, it's usually the third or the fifth of the chord that becomes the bass note (or the seventh in dominant or minor seventh chords, rarely in major sevenths).
Specifying bass voicings of chords is useful because of the importance of the bass note in any chord: it's the single note that above all other (OK, maybe equal with the top note) gives a chord its particular flavour and feeling.
CHECK OUT MY OTHER BOOKS AND DEALS
30% off bundle deal on my ebooks: billspianopages.com/bundle
All six of my Piano Packs for £16.95: billspianopages.com/pianopacks
Support me on Patreon (great benefits): patreon.com/billhilton
Don't forget to follow me on Facebook: fb.me/billhiltonpiano
And on Twitter: twitter.com/billhilton
Slash chords come up pretty regularly in the comments underneath my piano tutorials, so I thought this first episode in my new Piano Questions Answered series was a good place to explain them.
More on piano chords in my book, How To Really Play The Piano: billspianopages.com/how-to-really
Slash chords aren't massively complicated: they're just a quick way of specifying which bass note should be played under a particular chord. If you see a chord without a slash, it implies that the root is the bass note - i.e., the note that the chord is named after. If a slash is used, it's usually the third or the fifth of the chord that becomes the bass note (or the seventh in dominant or minor seventh chords, rarely in major sevenths).
Specifying bass voicings of chords is useful because of the importance of the bass note in any chord: it's the single note that above all other (OK, maybe equal with the top note) gives a chord its particular flavour and feeling.
CHECK OUT MY OTHER BOOKS AND DEALS
30% off bundle deal on my ebooks: billspianopages.com/bundle
All six of my Piano Packs for £16.95: billspianopages.com/pianopacks
Support me on Patreon (great benefits): patreon.com/billhilton
Don't forget to follow me on Facebook: fb.me/billhiltonpiano
And on Twitter: twitter.com/billhilton
