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Guitar chords · Minor 11th

Bm11 chord on guitar

Bm11 (B minor 11th) has six notes: B, D, F♯, A, C♯ and E, the , ♭3, 5, ♭7, 9 and 11.

Shapes

How to play Bm11

Strum a shape to hear it, or pick it one string at a time. R marks the ; the other numbers are the chord tones.

Bm11 has no common . Play it as the A shape at 2 or the E shape at fret 7. A keeps its fingering anywhere on the neck: slide it up or down and the , on the lowest played string, names the chord.

  • A shape · fret 2

    ×R11♭7♭35BEADF♯
  • E shape · fret 7

    5fr××R♭7♭311BADE
Name a shape you're holding: the chord finder

Notes and formula

What makes Bm11 minor 11th

A minor 11th chord stacks the 9th and the 11th on a minor . On a minor chord the 11th does not clash, so it stays: keep the ♭3rd, the ♭7th and the 11th, and drop the 5th or the 9th. It has an open, floating sound heard in funk and fusion.

  • 1Root: the note the chord is named after. Keep it.
  • 3Essential: makes the chord what it is. Never drop it.
  • 5Optional: drop it first when you run out of fingers.

The ♭3rd, the ♭7th and the 11th make Bm11 a minor 11th chord; you can leave out the 5th and the 9th.

  1. BRroot
  2. D♭3essential
  3. F♯5optional
  4. A♭7essential
  5. C♯9optional
  6. E11essential
EADGBE0135791215BBBBBBBBEF♯AC♯DEF♯AC♯DEF♯ADEF♯AC♯DEAC♯DEF♯AC♯DEF♯AC♯DEF♯AC♯DEF♯
  • B, the root
  • Other chord tones

Bm11 often leads to E7 and then A: the ii11–V7–I of A major.

Keys

Keys with Bm11

Bm11 belongs to four keys: D major (vi11), A major (ii11), B minor (i11) and F♯ minor (iv11).

Numerals follow the key's own scale, so III, VI and VII in a minor key are its own major chords. A ♭ or ♯ in front marks a chord from outside the key. How Roman numerals work

Slash chords

Bm11 over another bass note

A keeps Bm11 on top and puts another note in the bass: the letter after the slash is the lowest note you play.

  • Bm11/D

    Bm11 with its ♭3rd, D, in the bass.

  • Bm11/F♯

    Bm11 with its 5th, F♯, in the bass.

  • Bm11/A

    Bm11 with its ♭7th, A, in the bass.

Questions

Bm11, in short

What notes are in the Bm11 chord?
Bm11 (B minor 11th) has six notes: B, D, F♯, A, C♯ and E, the , ♭3, 5, ♭7, 9 and 11.
How do you play Bm11 on guitar?
Bm11 has no common . Play it as the A shape at 2 or the E shape at fret 7.
What key is Bm11 in?
Bm11 belongs to four keys: D major (vi11), A major (ii11), B minor (i11) and F♯ minor (iv11).
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