How do you play the A addb9/E chord?

To play the A addb9/E chord on piano, play the A addb9 chord (A, C#, E and A#) with E as the lowest bass note. Place the E note below the other chord tones. Slash chords specify a particular bass note different from the chord root.

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 addb9/E chord means a A addb9 chord with E in the bass.

A addb9/E

Q: What notes are in the A addb9/E chord?

The A addb9/E chord uses the 4 notes of the A addb9 chord — A (Perfect unison), C# (Major third), E (Perfect fifth) and A# (Minor ninth) — with E played as the bass note in the lowest register.

The A addb9 chord consists of the A (Perfect unison), C# (Major third), E (Perfect fifth) and A# (Minor ninth) notes, with E as the bass note.

Piano keyboard showing the notes for a A addb9/E chord

How to play the A addb9/E chord

Play E as the lowest bass note in the left hand
Find A (Root) on the piano keyboard
Add C# (Major third) — 4 semitones above A
Add E (Perfect fifth) — 7 semitones above A
Add A# (Minor ninth) — 13 semitones above A
Press all 5 notes simultaneously to sound the A addb9/E chord

Related chords with different root

A addb9
A# m(maj7)(b5)