How do you play the Bb 7(b5)/Ab chord?

To play the Bb 7(b5)/Ab chord on piano, play the Bb 7(b5) chord (Bb, D, Fb 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 7(b5)/Ab chord means a Bb 7(b5) chord with Ab in the bass.

Bb 7(b5)/Ab

Q: What notes are in the Bb 7(b5)/Ab chord?

The Bb 7(b5)/Ab chord uses the 4 notes of the Bb 7(b5) chord — Bb (Perfect unison), D (Major third), Fb (Diminished fifth) and Ab (Minor seventh) — with Ab played as the bass note in the lowest register.

The Bb 7(b5) chord consists of the Bb (Perfect unison), D (Major third), Fb (Diminished fifth) and Ab (Minor seventh) notes, with Ab as the bass note.

Piano keyboard showing the notes for a Bb 7(b5)/Ab chord

How to play the Bb 7(b5)/Ab chord

Play Ab 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 Fb (Diminished fifth) — 6 semitones above Bb
Add Ab (Minor seventh) — 10 semitones above Bb
Press all 5 notes simultaneously to sound the Bb 7(b5)/Ab chord

Related chords with different root

E 7(b5)
Bb 7(b5)

Related slash chords

E 7(b5)(sus)/G#
Bb b5/Ab