How do you play the A 5/D chord?

To play the A 5/D chord on piano, play the A 5 chord (A and E) with D as the lowest bass note. Place the D note below the other chord tones. Slash chords specify a particular bass note different from the chord root.

What notes are in the A 5/D chord?

The A 5/D chord uses the 2 notes of the A 5 chord — A (Perfect unison) and E (Perfect fifth) — with D played as the bass note in the lowest register.

What is a slash chord?

A slash chord (or compound chord) is written as Chord/Bass and specifies both a chord and a bass note. The note to the right of the slash is played as the lowest note. The A 5/D chord means a A 5 chord with D in the bass.

A 5/D

The A 5 chord consists of the A (Perfect unison) and E (Perfect fifth) notes, with D as the bass note.

Piano keyboard showing the notes for a A 5/D chord

How to play the A 5/D chord

Play D as the lowest bass note in the left hand
Find A (Root) on the piano keyboard
Add E (Perfect fifth) — 7 semitones above A
Press all 3 notes simultaneously to sound the A 5/D chord

Inversions with same root

D sus2
D 5(add9)

Related chords with different root

E 11(sus4)
A sus4