How do you play the Ab 7(b13)/Bbb chord?

To play the Ab 7(b13)/Bbb chord on piano, play the Ab 7(b13) chord (Ab, C, Eb, Gb and Fb) with Bbb as the lowest bass note. Place the Bbb 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 7(b13)/Bbb chord means a Ab 7(b13) chord with Bbb in the bass.

Ab 7(b13)/Bbb

Q: What notes are in the Ab 7(b13)/Bbb chord?

The Ab 7(b13)/Bbb chord uses the 5 notes of the Ab 7(b13) chord — Ab (Perfect unison), C (Major third), Eb (Perfect fifth), Gb (Minor seventh) and Fb (Minor thirteenth) — with Bbb played as the bass note in the lowest register.

The Ab 7(b13) chord consists of the Ab (Perfect unison), C (Major third), Eb (Perfect fifth), Gb (Minor seventh) and Fb (Minor thirteenth) notes, with Bbb as the bass note.

Piano keyboard showing the notes for a Ab 7(b13)/Bbb chord

How to play the Ab 7(b13)/Bbb chord

Play Bbb as the lowest bass note in the left hand
Find Ab (Root) on the piano keyboard
Add C (Major third) — 4 semitones above Ab
Add Eb (Perfect fifth) — 7 semitones above Ab
Add Gb (Minor seventh) — 10 semitones above Ab
Add Fb (Minor thirteenth) — 20 semitones above Ab
Press all 6 notes simultaneously to sound the Ab 7(b13)/Bbb chord