How do you play the Eb 9(#5)/Ab chord?

To play the Eb 9(#5)/Ab chord on piano, play the Eb 9(#5) chord (Eb, G, B, Db and F) 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 Eb 9(#5)/Ab chord means a Eb 9(#5) chord with Ab in the bass.

Eb 9(#5)/Ab

Q: What notes are in the Eb 9(#5)/Ab chord?

The Eb 9(#5)/Ab chord uses the 5 notes of the Eb 9(#5) chord — Eb (Perfect unison), G (Major third), B (Minor sixth), Db (Minor seventh) and F (Major ninth) — with Ab played as the bass note in the lowest register.

The Eb 9(#5) chord consists of the Eb (Perfect unison), G (Major third), B (Minor sixth), Db (Minor seventh) and F (Major ninth) notes, with Ab as the bass note.

Piano keyboard showing the notes for a Eb 9(#5)/Ab chord

How to play the Eb 9(#5)/Ab chord

Play Ab as the lowest bass note in the left hand
Find Eb (Root) on the piano keyboard
Add G (Major third) — 4 semitones above Eb
Add B (Minor sixth) — 8 semitones above Eb
Add Db (Minor seventh) — 10 semitones above Eb
Add F (Major ninth) — 14 semitones above Eb
Press all 6 notes simultaneously to sound the Eb 9(#5)/Ab chord

Related chords with different root

Db 9(#11)

Related slash chords

C# 9(b5)/G#