How do you play the Bb 13/Cb chord?

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

Bb 13/Cb

Q: What notes are in the Bb 13/Cb chord?

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

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

Piano keyboard showing the notes for a Bb 13/Cb chord

How to play the Bb 13/Cb chord

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