How do you play the D Viennese trichord/Ab chord?

To play the D Viennese trichord/Ab chord on piano, play the D Viennese trichord chord (D, Eb 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 notes are in the D Viennese trichord/Ab chord?

The D Viennese trichord/Ab chord uses the 3 notes of the D Viennese trichord chord — D (Perfect unison), Eb (Minor second) and Ab (Diminished fifth) — with Ab 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 Viennese trichord/Ab chord means a D Viennese trichord chord with Ab in the bass.

D Viennese trichord/Ab

The D Viennese trichord chord consists of the D (Perfect unison), Eb (Minor second) and Ab (Diminished fifth) notes, with Ab as the bass note.

How to play the D Viennese trichord/Ab chord

Play Ab as the lowest bass note in the left hand
Find D (Root) on the piano keyboard
Add Eb (Minor second) — 1 semitone above D
Add Ab (Diminished fifth) — 6 semitones above D
Press all 4 notes simultaneously to sound the D Viennese trichord/Ab chord

Related chords with same root

Ab sus(#4)

Related chords with different root

D Viennese trichord

Related slash chords

Eb maj7(no3)/Ab