How do you play the Bb maj7(#11)/Ab chord?

To play the Bb maj7(#11)/Ab chord on piano, play the Bb maj7(#11) chord (Bb, D, F, A and E) 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 maj7(#11)/Ab chord means a Bb maj7(#11) chord with Ab in the bass.

Bb maj7(#11)/Ab

Q: What notes are in the Bb maj7(#11)/Ab chord?

The Bb maj7(#11)/Ab chord uses the 5 notes of the Bb maj7(#11) chord — Bb (Perfect unison), D (Major third), F (Perfect fifth), A (Major seventh) and E (Augmented eleventh) — with Ab played as the bass note in the lowest register.

The Bb maj7(#11) chord consists of the Bb (Perfect unison), D (Major third), F (Perfect fifth), A (Major seventh) and E (Augmented eleventh) notes, with Ab as the bass note.

Piano keyboard showing the notes for a Bb maj7(#11)/Ab chord

How to play the Bb maj7(#11)/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 A (Major seventh) — 11 semitones above Bb
Add E (Augmented eleventh) — 18 semitones above Bb
Press all 6 notes simultaneously to sound the Bb maj7(#11)/Ab chord