A Eleventh Chord (A11)

1Composition: what it contains

A – C♯ – E – G – B – D

Symbol

A11

Also written

A11, A9sus4, A7(11)

Formula

1 3 5 ♭7 9 11

2Appearance: diagrams and sound

On the guitar

On the ukulele

On the piano

On the staff

On bass and as an arpeggio

3Indications: what it is used for

In practice the eleventh chord is usually voiced as a 9sus4: the root, fifth, flat seventh, ninth and eleventh, without the third. It is used as a V chord in gospel, soul, jazz, fusion and pop (often written as a slash chord, the IV chord over the V bass). It works on dominant vamps and as a softer alternative to V7 before resolving to I. Mixolydian fits over it, with the fourth as a chord tone rather than an avoid note.

4Dosage: how to practise it

On piano, play the IV-over-V slash voicing (a major triad whose root lies a whole step below the bass note), and the left-hand voicing ♭7-9-11 over the root. On guitar, learn the shape rooted on the fifth string (root, ♭7, 9, 11) and the shape rooted on the sixth string. Practise V11–I and ii7–V11–Imaj7 progressions at 70–100 BPM. Five minutes daily, comparing 7sus4, 9sus4 and 11. On bass, stay on the root; the voicing above carries the colour.

5Warnings and common mistakes

Avoid playing the major third with the eleventh: they are a minor ninth apart and clash badly, which is why the third is usually dropped. Do not confuse the dominant eleventh with m11 (where the third is minor and the eleventh is consonant). Do not confuse it with add11, which has no seventh. In full six-note voicings the chord sounds muddy; omit the third and sometimes the fifth.

6Interactions with chords, scales and keys

Inversions

• Inversion 1 · A11/C♯ · C♯ – E – G – B – D – A Play
• Inversion 2 · A11/E · E – G – B – D – A – C♯ Play
• Inversion 3 · A11/G · G – B – D – A – C♯ – E Play
• Inversion 4 · A11/B · B – D – A – C♯ – E – G Play
• Inversion 5 · A11/D · D – A – C♯ – E – G – B Play

Scales to play over A11

• A Mixolydian Mode
• A Bebop Dominant Scale

7Other presentations available

The same chord from every note

C11 C♯11 D11 E♭11 E11 F11 F♯11 G11 A♭11 B♭11 B11

Other chords on A

A Am Adim Aaug Asus2 Asus4 A5 A6 Am6 A7 Amaj7 Am7 Am7♭5 Adim7 Am(maj7) A7sus4 Aadd9 Am(add9) A6/9 A9 Amaj9 Am9 Am11 A13 A7♭9 A7♯9 A7♯5 A7♭5