How do you play the Ab 11(sus4)/E chord?

To play the Ab 11(sus4)/E chord on piano, play the Ab 11(sus4) chord (Ab, Db and Gb) 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 Ab 11(sus4)/E chord means a Ab 11(sus4) chord with E in the bass.

Ab 11(sus4)/E

Q: What notes are in the Ab 11(sus4)/E chord?

The Ab 11(sus4)/E chord uses the 3 notes of the Ab 11(sus4) chord — Ab (Perfect unison), Db (Perfect fourth) and Gb (Minor seventh) — with E played as the bass note in the lowest register.

The Ab 11(sus4) chord consists of the Ab (Perfect unison), Db (Perfect fourth) and Gb (Minor seventh) notes, with E as the bass note.

Piano keyboard showing the notes for a Ab 11(sus4)/E chord

How to play the Ab 11(sus4)/E chord

Play E as the lowest bass note in the left hand
Find Ab (Root) on the piano keyboard
Add Db (Perfect fourth) — 5 semitones above Ab
Add Gb (Minor seventh) — 10 semitones above Ab
Press all 4 notes simultaneously to sound the Ab 11(sus4)/E chord

Related chords with different root

C# m(add11)
F# 7(sus2)
F# 9(sus2)

Related slash chords

Db sus4/Fb
Gb sus2/Fb
Gb 5(add9)/Fb