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Frozenicicles, Kbk and others seem to be thinking of slash chords as inversions, but I don’t think this is the right way to think of them.

For instance C/E means to play a C chord in the right hand. It could be in root position or in any inversion and the base note would be E

Often the base note is not from the chord, for instance C/F. That means a C chord in any position with an F in the base.

Sometimes you will see a series of chords something like this C, C/B, C/A, C/G, F. That is a C chord in the right hand, maybe spread over several bars, while the base notes step down. (using passing notes)

Sometimes a slash chord is used as an alternative notation to an extended chord. For example Fma9 has the notes FACEG. It is difficult to play all the notes in extended chords so it is normal to leave off some of the bottom notes. So you could play CEG in the RH and F in the base. So Fma9 could be written C/F.

Ron

^Agreed - I got too caught up in the chord analysis (which is pretty much impossible to do without seeing it in context of the rest of the progression). Slash chords can be guides on how to shape the bass line.

While a chord can often be restated without the slash, like FMaj7(9) instead of C/F, the typical use of slash chords is to indicate a specific voicing or inversion (strongly indicated).

This is a more general statement than simply indicate moving bass lines (which is a common use when you see multiple slash chords).

Hi everyone, thanks for the responses, I have learned a lot just reading everything you all wrote:)

So... now my question becomes, if the meaning of C/F is to play a C chord and an F note in the bass, how does one do this if your right hand is doing the melody notes of the song, thereby making your left hand the one that has to play the C chord? How can you simultaneously play the F note in the bass? I tried but my hand does not stretch enough.

Wow, thank you all very much for reading my question:)

Use two hands and play the melody as the top note. Split the chord so you share between the two hands. Like I said, when an arranger/composer indicates a slash chord, he/she is indicating that this voicing is an important component of the sound. So if I can, I will play it as indicated, at least at some point.

When it is not possible to always play the slash chord (as in improvisation), then, pick the important components of it. The F is definitely the most major component here.

You may also need to do an inversion of the C triad depending on what the melody note is. Takes a lot of thinking initially but becomes automatic after time. Just a natural part of reading leadsheets.

BTW - another interpretation of the slash chord is that the F is a pedal tone.

Meaning hit F, step on the pedal, and then hit the C triad. That way you are able to do it sometimes with just the LH alone.

All of this depends on the tune.