Slash Chords and Pedal Point
A slash chord gives you two instructions: play the chord before the slash and put the note after it in the bass. A pedal point reverses the process by holding one bass note while the chords above it change. Hear how both techniques organize a progression from the bottom up.
- chord before slash
- bass after slash
- pedal holds one note
which styles use them
- Pop
- Singer-songwriter
- Gospel
- Jazz
- Film music
- Electronic music
How do you read a slash chord?
Read C/E as C major over E in the bass.
The part before the slash names the chord. The part after the slash names the lowest sounding note.
A pianist might play E with the left hand and C-E-G with the right. A band might divide the same symbol between a bassist and guitarist.
When is a slash chord an inversion?
If the bass note belongs to the chord, the slash chord describes an inversion.
- C/E is first-inversion C major because E is the third.
- C/G is second-inversion C major because G is the fifth.
- Cmaj7/B is third-inversion Cmaj7 because B is the seventh.
The upper notes can be arranged in many voicings. The lowest note determines the inversion.
What if the bass note is outside the chord?
A slash chord can place a non-chord tone in the bass.
C/D combines a C-major triad with D below it. The result contains D-C-E-G and can function like a suspended dominant sonority in some contexts.
F/G contains G-F-A-C. It is often used before C because F and C can resolve while G remains or returns as a dominant bass.
Name the written structure first. The key and following chord determine its function.
How do slash chords create bass lines?
They let chord roots and bass notes move independently.
The progression C-G/B-Am gives the bass line C-B-A. The middle chord remains G major while B provides a stepwise connection.
C-C/B flat-F/A can create a descending chromatic or diatonic line under related harmonies. Write every bass note explicitly when the line is essential to the arrangement.
What is a pedal point?
A pedal point, or pedal tone, is a sustained or repeated pitch held while the harmony above it changes.
A tonic pedal on C might support C, F/C, G/C and C. The upper chord names change while C remains the bass reference.
A dominant pedal in C major holds G under changing chords, often before a cadence. Inner or upper voices can also sustain a pedal, although bass pedals are easiest to hear.
Is a pedal point the same as a drone?
The terms overlap. A drone often continues for a long span and can define the tonal center of an entire texture.
A pedal point is commonly discussed as a harmonic device whose relation to the changing chords alternates between consonance and tension.
The musical context matters more than a strict duration boundary. In both cases, track the fixed pitch against every chord above it.
How does a pedal create tension?
The pedal begins as a chord tone, becomes a non-chord tone against some harmonies and returns to a clear chord role.
Over a C pedal, G/C contains C-D-G-B. The B-C semitone and D-C whole step add tension above the held tonic.
The bass continuity keeps the phrase anchored while upper voices change. Releasing the pedal lets a new bass note mark the structural arrival.
How are slash chords different from extended chords?
A symbol such as Cadd9 names D as part of the chord collection. C/D specifically requires D in the bass.
The pitch classes may overlap, but the lowest note changes the sonority and bass line. Do not replace C/D with Cadd9 if the written bass motion matters.
Similarly, F/G can resemble a G-sus dominant collection. The slash symbol preserves the arranger's intended upper structure and bass.
Where are these devices used?
Pop and singer-songwriter arrangements use slash chords for stepwise bass lines. Gospel and jazz use upper structures over specified bass notes.
Film and electronic music use pedal tones to maintain one center while harmony and orchestration expand above it.
Bass players should treat the post-slash note as part of the composition, not an optional suggestion.
How should you practice them?
Play C, C/E and C/G while keeping the upper C-major notes close together. Follow the bass C-E-G.
Next, hold C in the bass and play C, G/C, F/C and C. Name whether C is a chord tone in each sonority.
Finally, write a four-chord progression with a descending bass line and check every slash note against the chord above it.