How do you play the Ab 9(#5)/Bbb chord?

To play the Ab 9(#5)/Bbb chord on piano, play the Ab 9(#5) chord (Ab, C, E, Gb and Bb) 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 9(#5)/Bbb chord means a Ab 9(#5) chord with Bbb in the bass.

Ab 9(#5)/Bbb

Q: What notes are in the Ab 9(#5)/Bbb chord?

The Ab 9(#5)/Bbb chord uses the 5 notes of the Ab 9(#5) chord — Ab (Perfect unison), C (Major third), E (Minor sixth), Gb (Minor seventh) and Bb (Major ninth) — with Bbb played as the bass note in the lowest register.

The Ab 9(#5) chord consists of the Ab (Perfect unison), C (Major third), E (Minor sixth), Gb (Minor seventh) and Bb (Major ninth) notes, with Bbb as the bass note.

Piano keyboard showing the notes for a Ab 9(#5)/Bbb chord

How to play the Ab 9(#5)/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 E (Minor sixth) — 8 semitones above Ab
Add Gb (Minor seventh) — 10 semitones above Ab
Add Bb (Major ninth) — 14 semitones above Ab
Press all 6 notes simultaneously to sound the Ab 9(#5)/Bbb chord

Related slash chords

F# 9(b5)/A