How do you play the F sus4/Ab chord?

To play the F sus4/Ab chord on piano, play the F sus4 chord (F, Bb and C) 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 F sus4/Ab chord means a F sus4 chord with Ab in the bass.

F sus4/Ab

Q: What notes are in the F sus4/Ab chord?

The F sus4/Ab chord uses the 3 notes of the F sus4 chord — F (Perfect unison), Bb (Perfect fourth) and C (Perfect fifth) — with Ab played as the bass note in the lowest register.

The F sus4 chord consists of the F (Perfect unison), Bb (Perfect fourth) and C (Perfect fifth) notes, with Ab as the bass note.

Piano keyboard showing the notes for a F sus4/Ab chord

How to play the F sus4/Ab chord

Play Ab as the lowest bass note in the left hand
Find F (Root) on the piano keyboard
Add Bb (Perfect fourth) — 5 semitones above F
Add C (Perfect fifth) — 7 semitones above F
Press all 4 notes simultaneously to sound the F sus4/Ab chord

Related chords with different root

F m(add11)
Bb 7(sus2)
Bb 9(sus2)

Related slash chords

C 11(sus4)/G#
Bb sus2/Ab
Bb 5(add9)/Ab