How to play Bb9#11: a dominant 9th sharp 11 built on Bb, with 1 voicing, the notes, the keys it belongs to, and songs that use it.
The first diagram is a common voicing: played at the first few frets. 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 1 2 1 1 x (x = not played).
| Note | Bb | Ab | C | E |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Interval | R | b7 | 9 | #11 |
Bb9#11 is a dominant 9th sharp 11 with Bb as its root. The full theoretical spelling is Bb, D, F, Ab, C, E. This voicing omits the 5th, the tone guitarists drop first when fitting a chord onto six strings. It also does without the 3rd, which changes the character more noticeably.
Bb9#11 is not a diatonic chord in any major or minor key: it turns up as a borrowed chord, a passing chord or an altered dominant, which is part of its color.
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Bb9#11 is spelled Bb, D, F, Ab, C, E: the root, 3rd, 5th, flat 7th, 9th, sharp 11th. The common guitar voicing sounds Bb, Ab, C, E, leaving out the 3rd and 5th.
Frets from the low E string to the high E string: x 1 2 1 1 x (x means the string is not played). Lay your index finger across the 1st fret from the A string to the B string (a barre). Add the D string at the 2nd fret. Strum from the A string down, skipping the high E string; the low E string stays silent.
Bb9#11 is not a diatonic chord in any major or minor key: it turns up as a borrowed chord, a passing chord or an altered dominant, which is part of its color.
