How do you play the Bb 11(sus4)/Ab chord?

To play the Bb 11(sus4)/Ab chord on piano, play the Bb 11(sus4) chord (Bb, Eb and Ab) with Ab as the lowest bass note. Place the Ab 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 Bb 11(sus4)/Ab chord means a Bb 11(sus4) chord with Ab in the bass.

Bb 11(sus4)/Ab

Q: What notes are in the Bb 11(sus4)/Ab chord?

The Bb 11(sus4)/Ab chord uses the 3 notes of the Bb 11(sus4) chord — Bb (Perfect unison), Eb (Perfect fourth) and Ab (Minor seventh) — with Ab played as the bass note in the lowest register.

The Bb 11(sus4) chord consists of the Bb (Perfect unison), Eb (Perfect fourth) and Ab (Minor seventh) notes, with Ab as the bass note.

Piano keyboard showing the notes for a Bb 11(sus4)/Ab chord

How to play the Bb 11(sus4)/Ab chord

Play Ab as the lowest bass note in the left hand
Find Bb (Root) on the piano keyboard
Add Eb (Perfect fourth) — 5 semitones above Bb
Add Ab (Minor seventh) — 10 semitones above Bb
Press all 4 notes simultaneously to sound the Bb 11(sus4)/Ab chord

Inversions with same root

Ab sus2
Ab 5(add9)

Related chords with different root

Eb sus4
Bb 11(sus4)

Related slash chords

Eb 5/Ab