Q & A
Music Notation - Questions And Answers
Question
I have been trying to play Can't Take My Eyes Off You, but there are some really annoying chords in the version I have found and I haven't a clue how to play them, or find what they are. Do you know? They include F#7/E and Am6/E. If you could help it would be brilliant. - Espin.
Answer
Those are called "Slash chords." No, they don't have anything to do with a certain top hat wearing rocker. The chord symbol to the left of the slash is the chord, and the note to the right of the slash is a bass note. Piano players would play the chord with their right hand and the bass note with their left. Guitar players usually just play the chord that appears before the slash and let the bass player get the note after the slash. In the F#7/E example, you could play the F#7 and the bass player would play the E note. However, in jazz, the guitarist may add the slash note also, especially if he is playing solo, such as a chord melody arrangement.
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