How do you play the Bb 7(b9)(#9)/Ab chord?

To play the Bb 7(b9)(#9)/Ab chord on piano, play the Bb 7(b9)(#9) chord (Bb, D, F, Ab, Cb and C#) 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(b9)(#9)/Ab chord means a Bb 7(b9)(#9) chord with Ab in the bass.

Bb 7(b9)(#9)/Ab

Q: What notes are in the Bb 7(b9)(#9)/Ab chord?

The Bb 7(b9)(#9)/Ab chord uses the 6 notes of the Bb 7(b9)(#9) chord — Bb (Perfect unison), D (Major third), F (Perfect fifth), Ab (Minor seventh), Cb (Minor ninth) and C# (Minor tenth) — with Ab played as the bass note in the lowest register.

The Bb 7(b9)(#9) chord consists of the Bb (Perfect unison), D (Major third), F (Perfect fifth), Ab (Minor seventh), Cb (Minor ninth) and C# (Minor tenth) notes, with Ab as the bass note.

Piano keyboard showing the notes for a Bb 7(b9)(#9)/Ab chord

How to play the Bb 7(b9)(#9)/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 F (Perfect fifth) — 7 semitones above Bb
Add Ab (Minor seventh) — 10 semitones above Bb
Add Cb (Minor ninth) — 13 semitones above Bb
Add C# (Minor tenth) — 15 semitones above Bb
Press all 7 notes simultaneously to sound the Bb 7(b9)(#9)/Ab chord

Related chords with different root

Bb 7(b9)(#9)