How do you play the Gb add9/Ab chord?

To play the Gb add9/Ab chord on piano, play the Gb add9 chord (Gb, Bb, Db 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 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 Gb add9/Ab chord means a Gb add9 chord with Ab in the bass.

Gb add9/Ab

Q: What notes are in the Gb add9/Ab chord?

The Gb add9/Ab chord uses the 4 notes of the Gb add9 chord — Gb (Perfect unison), Bb (Major third), Db (Perfect fifth) and Ab (Major ninth) — with Ab played as the bass note in the lowest register.

The Gb add9 chord consists of the Gb (Perfect unison), Bb (Major third), Db (Perfect fifth) and Ab (Major ninth) notes, with Ab as the bass note.

Piano keyboard showing the notes for a Gb add9/Ab chord

How to play the Gb add9/Ab chord

Play Ab as the lowest bass note in the left hand
Find Gb (Root) on the piano keyboard
Add Bb (Major third) — 4 semitones above Gb
Add Db (Perfect fifth) — 7 semitones above Gb
Add Ab (Major ninth) — 14 semitones above Gb
Press all 5 notes simultaneously to sound the Gb add9/Ab chord

Related chords with different root

Gb add2
Gb add9
Bb m7(#5)
Bb m7(alt)

Related slash chords

Gb major/Ab
Bb m(#5)/Ab