2 Sweet Slash Chord Progressions in D Major

Slash chords are guitar chords that use a different bass note than the root note of the chord. In a normal chord, the lowest note is also the root note, but with slash chords we’re changing that up to create smooth, melodic bass lines that connect chord progressions together.

The slash notation tells you that you’re playing a note that’s lower than the actual root in the chord. For example, G/F# means you’re playing a G major chord but with an F# as the lowest note instead of G. This creates beautiful descending or ascending bass lines that add sophistication to simple chord changes.

In this lesson, we’re going to look at two main slash chord progressions in the key of D major and related keys. These techniques show up in classic songs like “Needle And The Damage Done” by Neil Young, “Can’t Find My Way Home” by Traffic (with Eric Clapton and Steve Winwood), “Bell Bottom Blues” by Eric Clapton, and “Runaway Train” by Soul Asylum.

Progression #1: G to Em with F# Bass

This is one of the most common slash chord progressions you’ll hear in hundreds of songs. The change from G major to E minor is very common, and many artists like to join it with an F# bass note that creates a descending scale line: G – F# – E.

Fingering for G major: Use your third and fourth fingers on the second and first strings at the third fret. This gives you a ringing, open sound that works better than the standard G fingering for this progression. You want those high strings ringing out clearly.

Adding the slash chord: Here’s the trick—take your second finger off and put your first finger down on the F# (second fret, sixth string). This creates G/F#. Use the fleshy edge of your first finger to mute the fifth string so you don’t accidentally hit it. That’s important because you don’t want that A note ringing when you’re trying to emphasize the F# bass.

The technique: Hit the bass note on the G, strum the chord, then hit the F# bass note (avoiding the fifth string), then move to E minor. The movement sounds like this: G (bass note + strum) → G/F# (F# bass + strum) → Em.

What you’re creating is a descending bass line that walks down from G to F# to E. Your ear follows that movement, and it creates a really smooth transition between the chords instead of just jumping from G to Em.

Song example: Neil Young’s “Heart of Gold” uses this progression. You can also use this for simple G-C-D progressions common in ’50s and early ’60s songs—it adds a touch of class to those basic changes.

Progression #2: C to Am with B Bass

This is another extremely popular slash chord progression used in tons of songs. The C to A minor change gets joined by a B bass note, creating the descending line: C – B – A. Same concept as the first progression, just in a different key.

The progression: Start with C major, then play C/B (C major chord with B in the bass), then move to A minor. The B note is on the fifth string, second fret.

Fingering technique: When you play the C/B, use the fleshy edge of your finger to mute the fourth string so it doesn’t ring out. You want the bottom three strings (third, second, and first) to ring clearly—that’s still a C major chord, just with the B bass note underneath it all.

Emphasis technique: Hit the bass note separately, then strum the rest of the chord. This emphasizes the descending bass line movement so the listener can really hear what you’re doing.

Song examples: Ben Harper’s “Angel,” Bob Marley’s “No Woman No Cry,” Brad Paisley’s “Mud on the Tires,” and Ricky Nelson’s “Garden Party” all use this progression. Once you know it, you’ll start hearing it everywhere.

Advanced Variation: The Eric Clapton Approach

Eric Clapton used a cool variation in “Bell Bottom Blues.” Instead of going straight from C to B to Am, he plays: C → E7/B → Am.

Here’s how it works: Play C major, then play an E7 chord but don’t play the low E bass. Start from the fifth string, which makes the B note the lowest note in the chord. This creates E7/B. Then move to A minor.

This creates the same descending bass line (C – B – A) but with the interesting color of the E7 chord in the middle. It’s a very cool move that adds harmonic sophistication. The E7 wants to resolve to A minor anyway, so it creates this nice pull toward that Am chord.

The Soul Asylum “Runaway Train” Variation

Soul Asylum used a similar trick in “Runaway Train,” but with an E minor chord instead of E7. They play: C/G → Em/B → Am → Am/E.

This combines slash chords with alternate bass notes. On the C chord, strike the low G root (third fret, sixth string). When you get to the E minor chord, strike the B note first (fifth string, second fret) instead of the usual E root. This creates that nice gradual descending movement from C down to A minor, then the low E bass note on the Am chord at the end.

It’s the same basic idea as the other progressions, but extended over more chords. The bass line becomes: G – B – A – E. Really nice movement.

Playing Techniques: Picking vs. Arpeggiation

There are two main ways to play these slash chord progressions, and they create completely different textures:

Picked bass + strum: In “Needle And The Damage Done,” you’re picking the bass note separately and then strumming the rest of the chord. This emphasizes the descending bass line clearly. The listener can really hear that bass note walking down.

Arpeggiation: In “Can’t Find My Way Home,” you’re arpeggiating the chord, meaning you pick each note individually rather than strumming. Similar idea in terms of the chord progression, but it creates a completely different texture and result. It’s more delicate, more intricate.

Both approaches work—it just depends on what kind of feel you’re going for in the song.

Why Slash Chords Matter

Slash chords create smooth voice leading between chords. Instead of jumping from one chord to another, you create a melodic bass line that guides the ear through the progression. This is what separates basic chord playing from sophisticated arrangement.

Think about it: when you just go from G to Em, it’s fine. But when you insert that F# bass note in between, suddenly there’s movement, there’s direction. Your bass line is telling a story, moving from one place to another in a logical way.

The key is to emphasize those bass notes—whether through picking, strumming technique, or arpeggiation—so the listener can follow the descending or ascending movement. If you bury the bass notes in your strum, you lose the whole point of the slash chord.

Getting Started with Slash Chords

Start with the G to Em progression. Get comfortable with that F# bass note and the muting technique. Once you’ve got that down, the C to Am progression will feel familiar—it’s the same concept, just different chords.

Then you can start experimenting with the variations—the Clapton E7/B approach, the Soul Asylum extended bass line. The more you play with these, the more you’ll start hearing opportunities to use them in your own playing and songwriting.

For more on open chord techniques, check out our complete guide. You might also enjoy learning about thumb bass notes for adding depth to your chord playing, open chord bass lines for more walking bass ideas, or chord embellishments for other ways to dress up your open chords.

For more guitar chord lessons and progressions, check out our Guitar Chords section or dive deeper inside the Riff Ninja Guitar School where we’ve got full courses on chord theory, progressions, and arrangement techniques.