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G/D Chord, C/A Chord...What Are Slash Chords?
A slash chord is a chord in which the bass note, the note following the slash, is important enough that the songwriter or arranger wants you to get it right. For example, G/D means:
“Play an ordinary G major chord and make sure the lowest note (the bass note) is D.”
If the bass note following the slash is not one of the notes in the chord itself, then the note following the slash is just a bass note that you add to the chord.
For example, C/A (“C over A”) means:
"Play an ordinary C major chord and at the same time, add an A note as a bass note."
You can play the added “A” in the bass on your own instrument (guitar or piano). Or, alternatively, your bass player can hit the “A” bass note as you simultaneously play the “C” major chord. The musical effect is the same.
The bass note following the slash can be any of the 12 notes in the chromatic scale. It does not have to be even remotely related to the chord.