d/f#

[old-wos-is-name]

Hi all,

Song has a chord of D/F#. does this mean I can play either chord? this is both for guitar and keyboard. the song is : nights in white satin. ( if you have never heard of it, you must be under 40 years old) all other chords are simple, and D sounds o.k.ish on the keyboard, and D sound dead right on the guitar, but F sharp sounds not right.
thanks,
alf.

[The Builder]

Wosser .............. F# is the Major third of the chord of D Major. I'm sure you know this .......... D F# A is the triad.
D/F# just means that it's a regular D Maj chord played with F# in the bass.
Just an inversion really. Instead of building the chord from D, it's built with F# at the "bottom"

[The Builder]

I've just tried this out Wosser. It seems that the progression is from E minor to D/F#
It's just an added bass harmony. Instead of the bass plodding from E to D, it's a bit more interesting for the bass to move from E to F# instead. Up a tone while the guitar goes down a tone. It's not essential. It's just the way the arrangement has been written.

[Dr Wu]

so basically it's D with an F# bass (as opposed to the usual open E bass)

Just hook your thumb over the second fret on the low E string as you play the usual open E

[Dr Wu]

I mean over the usual open D chord not E sorry, get me coat etc etc

[MarkRae]

^^ Correct

[rhythmcrazy]

D/F# is known as a split chord. It means D major with an F# bass.