How do you play the B 13/D chord?

To play the B 13/D chord on piano, play the B 13 chord (B, D#, F#, A, C# and G#) with D as the lowest bass note. Place the D 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 B 13/D chord means a B 13 chord with D in the bass.

B 13/D

Q: What notes are in the B 13/D chord?

The B 13/D chord uses the 6 notes of the B 13 chord — B (Perfect unison), D# (Major third), F# (Perfect fifth), A (Minor seventh), C# (Major ninth) and G# (Major thirteenth) — with D played as the bass note in the lowest register.

The B 13 chord consists of the B (Perfect unison), D# (Major third), F# (Perfect fifth), A (Minor seventh), C# (Major ninth) and G# (Major thirteenth) notes, with D as the bass note.

Piano keyboard showing the notes for a B 13/D chord

How to play the B 13/D chord

Play D as the lowest bass note in the left hand
Find B (Root) on the piano keyboard
Add D# (Major third) — 4 semitones above B
Add F# (Perfect fifth) — 7 semitones above B
Add A (Minor seventh) — 10 semitones above B
Add C# (Major ninth) — 14 semitones above B
Add G# (Major thirteenth) — 21 semitones above B
Press all 7 notes simultaneously to sound the B 13/D chord