How do you play the Ab m7(#5)/E chord?

To play the Ab m7(#5)/E chord on piano, play the Ab m7(#5) chord (Ab, Cb, E 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 m7(#5)/E chord means a Ab m7(#5) chord with E in the bass.

Ab m7(#5)/E

Q: What notes are in the Ab m7(#5)/E chord?

The Ab m7(#5)/E chord uses the 4 notes of the Ab m7(#5) chord — Ab (Perfect unison), Cb (Minor third), E (Minor sixth) and Gb (Minor seventh) — with E played as the bass note in the lowest register.

The Ab m7(#5) chord consists of the Ab (Perfect unison), Cb (Minor third), E (Minor sixth) and Gb (Minor seventh) notes, with E as the bass note.

Piano keyboard showing the notes for a Ab m7(#5)/E chord

How to play the Ab m7(#5)/E chord

Play E as the lowest bass note in the left hand
Find Ab (Root) on the piano keyboard
Add Cb (Minor third) — 3 semitones above Ab
Add E (Minor sixth) — 8 semitones above Ab
Add Gb (Minor seventh) — 10 semitones above Ab
Press all 5 notes simultaneously to sound the Ab m7(#5)/E chord

Inversions with same root

E add2
E add9

Related chords with different root

Ab m7(#5)
Ab m7(alt)

Related slash chords

G# m7(no5)/D##
G# m7(#9)(no5)/D##
B 6(sus)/E