How to play B11: an 11th built on B, with 2 ways to play it, the notes, the keys it belongs to, and songs that use it.
The first diagram is a common voicing: an open-position shape using 2 open strings, played near the nut. An X above a string means don't play it; an O means play it open.
Frets from the low E string to the high E string: x 2 1 2 0 0 (x = not played).
| Note | B | D# | A | E |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Interval | R | 3 | b7 | 11 |
B11 is an 11th with B as its root. The full theoretical spelling is B, D#, F#, A, C#, E. This voicing omits the 5th and 9th, the tones guitarists drop first when fitting a chord onto six strings.
B11 is a diatonic chord (built from the key's own notes) in 1 major key and 1 minor key. The roman numeral is the chord's place in that key; tap a key for all of its chords.
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B11 is spelled B, D#, F#, A, C#, E: the root, 3rd, 5th, flat 7th, 9th, 11th. The common guitar voicing sounds B, D#, A, E, leaving out the 5th and 9th.
Frets from the low E string to the high E string: x 2 1 2 0 0 (x means the string is not played). Fret the D string at the 1st fret. Add the A and G strings at the 2nd fret. The B and high E strings ring open. Strum from the A string down; the low E string stays silent.
B11 belongs to 2 keys: E major (the V chord) and C# minor (the VII).
