How do you play the D addb9/C chord?

To play the D addb9/C chord on piano, play the D addb9 chord (D, F#, A and D#) with C as the lowest bass note. Place the C 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 D addb9/C chord means a D addb9 chord with C in the bass.

D addb9/C

Q: What notes are in the D addb9/C chord?

The D addb9/C chord uses the 4 notes of the D addb9 chord — D (Perfect unison), F# (Major third), A (Perfect fifth) and D# (Minor ninth) — with C played as the bass note in the lowest register.

The D addb9 chord consists of the D (Perfect unison), F# (Major third), A (Perfect fifth) and D# (Minor ninth) notes, with C as the bass note.

Piano keyboard showing the notes for a D addb9/C chord

How to play the D addb9/C chord

Play C as the lowest bass note in the left hand
Find D (Root) on the piano keyboard
Add F# (Major third) — 4 semitones above D
Add A (Perfect fifth) — 7 semitones above D
Add D# (Minor ninth) — 13 semitones above D
Press all 5 notes simultaneously to sound the D addb9/C chord

Related chords with different root

D 7(b9)

Related slash chords

D# m(maj7)(b5)/C