How do you play the Db 13/Ab chord?

To play the Db 13/Ab chord on piano, play the Db 13 chord (Db, F, Ab, Cb, Eb and Bb) 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 Db 13/Ab chord means a Db 13 chord with Ab in the bass.

Db 13/Ab

Q: What notes are in the Db 13/Ab chord?

The Db 13/Ab chord uses the 6 notes of the Db 13 chord — Db (Perfect unison), F (Major third), Ab (Perfect fifth), Cb (Minor seventh), Eb (Major ninth) and Bb (Major thirteenth) — with Ab played as the bass note in the lowest register.

The Db 13 chord consists of the Db (Perfect unison), F (Major third), Ab (Perfect fifth), Cb (Minor seventh), Eb (Major ninth) and Bb (Major thirteenth) notes, with Ab as the bass note.

Piano keyboard showing the notes for a Db 13/Ab chord

How to play the Db 13/Ab chord

Play Ab as the lowest bass note in the left hand
Find Db (Root) on the piano keyboard
Add F (Major third) — 4 semitones above Db
Add Ab (Perfect fifth) — 7 semitones above Db
Add Cb (Minor seventh) — 10 semitones above Db
Add Eb (Major ninth) — 14 semitones above Db
Add Bb (Major thirteenth) — 21 semitones above Db
Press all 7 notes simultaneously to sound the Db 13/Ab chord

Related chords with different root

Db 13