How do you play the D 5/E chord?

To play the D 5/E chord on piano, play the D 5 chord (D and A) with E as the lowest bass note. Place the E note below the other chord tones. Slash chords specify a particular bass note different from the chord root.

What notes are in the D 5/E chord?

The D 5/E chord uses the 2 notes of the D 5 chord — D (Perfect unison) and A (Perfect fifth) — with E played as the bass note in the lowest register.

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 D 5/E chord means a D 5 chord with E in the bass.

D 5/E

The D 5 chord consists of the D (Perfect unison) and A (Perfect fifth) notes, with E as the bass note.

Piano keyboard showing the notes for a D 5/E chord

How to play the D 5/E chord

Play E as the lowest bass note in the left hand
Find D (Root) on the piano keyboard
Add A (Perfect fifth) — 7 semitones above D
Press all 3 notes simultaneously to sound the D 5/E chord

Inversions with same root

E 11(sus4)

Related chords with different root

D sus2
D 5(add9)
A sus4