How do you play the Ab 5(add9)/Bb chord?

To play the Ab 5(add9)/Bb chord on piano, play the Ab 5(add9) chord (Ab, Eb and Bb) with Bb as the lowest bass note. Place the Bb 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 5(add9)/Bb chord means a Ab 5(add9) chord with Bb in the bass.

Ab 5(add9)/Bb

Q: What notes are in the Ab 5(add9)/Bb chord?

The Ab 5(add9)/Bb chord uses the 3 notes of the Ab 5(add9) chord — Ab (Perfect unison), Eb (Perfect fifth) and Bb (Major ninth) — with Bb played as the bass note in the lowest register.

The Ab 5(add9) chord consists of the Ab (Perfect unison), Eb (Perfect fifth) and Bb (Major ninth) notes, with Bb as the bass note.

Piano keyboard showing the notes for a Ab 5(add9)/Bb chord

How to play the Ab 5(add9)/Bb chord

Play Bb as the lowest bass note in the left hand
Find Ab (Root) on the piano keyboard
Add Eb (Perfect fifth) — 7 semitones above Ab
Add Bb (Major ninth) — 14 semitones above Ab
Press all 4 notes simultaneously to sound the Ab 5(add9)/Bb chord

Inversions with same root

Bb 11(sus4)

Related chords with different root

Eb sus4
Ab sus2
Ab 5(add9)

Related slash chords

Ab 5/Bb