How do you play the Ab add9/E chord?

To play the Ab add9/E chord on piano, play the Ab add9 chord (Ab, C, Eb and Bb) 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 add9/E chord means a Ab add9 chord with E in the bass.

Ab add9/E

Q: What notes are in the Ab add9/E chord?

The Ab add9/E chord uses the 4 notes of the Ab add9 chord — Ab (Perfect unison), C (Major third), Eb (Perfect fifth) and Bb (Major ninth) — with E played as the bass note in the lowest register.

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

Piano keyboard showing the notes for a Ab add9/E chord

How to play the Ab add9/E chord

Play E 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 Bb (Major ninth) — 14 semitones above Ab
Press all 5 notes simultaneously to sound the Ab add9/E chord

Related chords with different root

C 7(alt)

Related slash chords

C m7(#5)/E
C m7(alt)/E
Ab add2/E