Slash Chords

Why problematic?

DrJellyfish wrote:

Why problematic?

Yes, perhaps "problematic" is an inappropriate term. I meant "thematic."

That is, the conventions that exist for superimposed chords, those in inversion form or other cases... pretty much everything regarding this topic.

mmm... generally slash chords are chords over a bass different from what the notation would suggest. It seems to me that polychords (chord over chord), on the other hand, are written in fraction form (with a horizontal bar).

I generally distinguish three types of slash chords:

inverted chords (e.g.: C/E);

chords that are put in slash form to facilitate reading (e.g.: C#7sus4b9 = G#Ø/C#);

chords whose notation in standard symbol form would present difficulties (e.g.: Dbmaj7/D).

I agree, I would also distinguish between polychords and slash chords

As far as slash chords are concerned, some of them are indeed just simple inversions, e.g., C-7/Bb; in other cases, this notation technique helps facilitate reading where an "extended" symbol exists that can still represent this chord.

Furthermore, in the last case described by Dr.JellyFish, they are written as slashes precisely because they would be difficult to symbolise in the traditional way; in fact, symbolising Dbmaj7/D as D would require both a major seventh and a minor seventh ... enharmonically speaking

Also regarding slash chords, the case of a pedal point comes to mind, if someone wanted to highlight it using a symbol.

Frank wrote:

signifying Dbmaj7/D as D would require both the major seventh and the minor seventh ... enharmonically speaking

but it would be cool: D-7b5b8 ...

... interesting "D-7b5b8"