How do you play the Bb maj11(b5)(sus4)/Ab chord?

To play the Bb maj11(b5)(sus4)/Ab chord on piano, play the Bb maj11(b5)(sus4) chord (Bb, Eb, Fb and A) 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 maj11(b5)(sus4)/Ab chord means a Bb maj11(b5)(sus4) chord with Ab in the bass.

Bb maj11(b5)(sus4)/Ab

Q: What notes are in the Bb maj11(b5)(sus4)/Ab chord?

The Bb maj11(b5)(sus4)/Ab chord uses the 4 notes of the Bb maj11(b5)(sus4) chord — Bb (Perfect unison), Eb (Perfect fourth), Fb (Diminished fifth) and A (Major seventh) — with Ab played as the bass note in the lowest register.

The Bb maj11(b5)(sus4) chord consists of the Bb (Perfect unison), Eb (Perfect fourth), Fb (Diminished fifth) and A (Major seventh) notes, with Ab as the bass note.

Piano keyboard showing the notes for a Bb maj11(b5)(sus4)/Ab chord

How to play the Bb maj11(b5)(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 Fb (Diminished fifth) — 6 semitones above Bb
Add A (Major seventh) — 11 semitones above Bb
Press all 5 notes simultaneously to sound the Bb maj11(b5)(sus4)/Ab chord

Related slash chords

E maj11(b5)(sus4)/G#