How do you play the Ab maj9(#11)/E chord?

To play the Ab maj9(#11)/E chord on piano, play the Ab maj9(#11) chord (Ab, C, Eb, G, Bb and D) 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 maj9(#11)/E chord means a Ab maj9(#11) chord with E in the bass.

Ab maj9(#11)/E

Q: What notes are in the Ab maj9(#11)/E chord?

The Ab maj9(#11)/E chord uses the 6 notes of the Ab maj9(#11) chord — Ab (Perfect unison), C (Major third), Eb (Perfect fifth), G (Major seventh), Bb (Major ninth) and D (Augmented eleventh) — with E played as the bass note in the lowest register.

The Ab maj9(#11) chord consists of the Ab (Perfect unison), C (Major third), Eb (Perfect fifth), G (Major seventh), Bb (Major ninth) and D (Augmented eleventh) notes, with E as the bass note.

Piano keyboard showing the notes for a Ab maj9(#11)/E chord

How to play the Ab maj9(#11)/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 G (Major seventh) — 11 semitones above Ab
Add Bb (Major ninth) — 14 semitones above Ab
Add D (Augmented eleventh) — 18 semitones above Ab
Press all 7 notes simultaneously to sound the Ab maj9(#11)/E chord