Chordal Notation/Expression Question

[scottrolf]

In the example below, what does the / indicate between the chord names?
The chord name placement did not copy and paste over correctly but you get my question.
Thank you.



Dm G7
Did you see them in the river?

Bb Dm Em/D F/D Em/D
They were there to wave to you.

Dm G7
Could you tell that the empty quivered,

Bb Dm Em/D
brown skinned Indian on the banks

F/D Em/D
that were crowded and narrow,

F G
held a broken arrow?

 

[Member 995]

It indicates the bass note.

Em/D is an E minor chord with a D in the bass

 

[scottrolf]

It indicates the bass note.

Em/D is an E minor chord with a D in the bass

Oh man…now I remember.
Ok, thanks much.

 

[dconeill]

Slash notation is used to indicate the bottom note (the "inversion") of the chord.

For example, Em/D means the E minor chord (E G B) with the D underneath; In the case shown, the composer wanted a D pedal under several chords. If the composer had just written, e.g., Bb Db Eb7 F6 Em7, then the player wouldn't know that the composer wanted that D pedal.

 

[scottrolf]

Slash notation is used to indicate the bottom note (the "inversion") of the chord.

For example, Em/D means the E minor chord (E G B) with the D underneath; In the case shown, the composer wanted a D pedal under several chords. If the composer had just written, e.g., Bb Db Eb7 F6 Em7, then the player wouldn't know that the composer wanted that D pedal.

When you say "D pedal", do you mean a bass pedal? I say that only because I have a set of bass pedals.

 

[dconeill]

When you say "D pedal", do you mean a bass pedal? I say that only because I have a set of bass pedals.

In this context it just means a constant note in the bass, that is, at the bottom of the harmony. The phrase has nothing to do anymore with equipment.

(IIRC it came originally from medieval organ playing, where the note was played with the foot pedals, but came to mean a repeated note at the bottom of the harmony. Look up "pedal point" on Wikipedia.)

 

[scottrolf]

In this context it just means a constant note in the bass, that is, at the bottom of the harmony. The phrase has nothing to do anymore with equipment.

(IIRC it came originally from medieval organ playing, where the note was played with the foot pedals, but came to mean a repeated note at the bottom of the harmony. Look up "pedal point" on Wikipedia.)

Got it.
Thanks.