[FrankHudson]

Originally Posted by ssjk

Subject came up in a beginners group I have been working with. We know that when we see Em/F# for example it means play an Em chord with a F# bass note. I don’t think “inversion” covers it because I sometimes see notes that are not in the listed chord. Anybody know of a more precise name than slash chord?

Thanks.

Saul Hudson chord?

Sorry, couldn't resist.

As to Frank Hudson's chords. There's a lot to be said for the slash notation if you hear that F# in the bass. If you'd play that F# in the treble register instead (for example on the high E string) I call it E(add9). For whatever reasons, I'm partial to sus2 and add9 chords when I compose, so I might think of it as add9, even when the F# is the lowest note when in composition mode.

The main reason to mull over these names is when you're trying to convey to someone else using a simple chord chart how you want the chord to sound.