How do you play the Ab major/C chord?

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

Ab major/C

Q: What notes are in the Ab major/C chord?

The Ab major/C chord uses the 3 notes of the Ab major chord — Ab (Perfect unison), C (Major third) and Eb (Perfect fifth) — with C played as the bass note in the lowest register.

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

Piano keyboard showing the notes for a Ab major/C chord

How to play the Ab major/C chord

Play C 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
Press all 4 notes simultaneously to sound the Ab major/C chord

Inversions with same root

C m(#5)

Related chords with different root

Ab major

Related slash chords

Ab 5/C