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A major 11th chord on guitar (Amaj11)
Also called or written Amaj11 or AM11
A major 11th contains A, C♯, E, G♯, B, D. The 5th-fret grip demands a full barre and a pinky stretch to fret 7.
How it is built
Formula 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11
- Root positionA–C♯–E–G♯–B–DAmaj115-5-6-6-5-7
- First inversionC♯–E–G♯–B–D–AAmaj11/C♯9-7-7-7-9-7
- Second inversionE–G♯–B–D–A–C♯Amaj11/Eno shape on this instrument
- Third inversionG♯–B–D–A–C♯–EAmaj11/G♯no shape on this instrument
- Fourth inversionB–D–A–C♯–E–G♯Amaj11/B7-5-6-6-5-5
- Fifth inversionD–A–C♯–E–G♯–BAmaj11/D10-11-9-9-10-9
How do you play an A major 11th chord on guitar?
A major 11th is played at the 5th fret as 5 5 6 6 5 7: barre your index finger across fret 5, middle finger on the D string at fret 6, ring finger on the G string at fret 6 and pinky finger on the high e string at fret 7.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | 5 | 1 (barre) | A (1) |
| 5 (A) | 5 | 1 (barre) | D (4) |
| 4 (D) | 6 | 2 | G♯ (7) |
| 3 (G) | 6 | 3 | C♯ (3) |
| 2 (B) | 5 | 1 (barre) | E (5) |
| 1 (e) | 7 | 4 | B (2) |
AdvancedThe index barre must fret the A string and high e cleanly while the pinky reaches fret 7.
Amaj11/C♯ inversion · fret 7
A major 11th is played at the 7th fret as 9 7 7 7 9 7: barre your index finger across fret 7, ring finger on the low E string at fret 9 and pinky finger on the B string at fret 9.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | 9 | 3 | C♯ (3) |
| 5 (A) | 7 | 1 (barre) | E (5) |
| 4 (D) | 7 | 1 (barre) | A (1) |
| 3 (G) | 7 | 1 (barre) | D (4) |
| 2 (B) | 9 | 4 | G♯ (7) |
| 1 (e) | 7 | 1 (barre) | B (2) |
Amaj11/C♯ inversion · fret 9
A major 11th is played at the 9th fret as 9 11 9 9 10 10: barre your index finger across fret 9, pinky finger on the A string at fret 11, middle finger on the B string at fret 10 and ring finger on the high e string at fret 10.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | 9 | 1 (barre) | C♯ (3) |
| 5 (A) | 11 | 4 | G♯ (7) |
| 4 (D) | 9 | 1 (barre) | B (2) |
| 3 (G) | 9 | 1 (barre) | E (5) |
| 2 (B) | 10 | 2 | A (1) |
| 1 (e) | 10 | 3 | D (4) |
Amaj11/B inversion · fret 5
A major 11th is played at the 5th fret as 7 5 6 6 5 5: barre your index finger across fret 5, pinky finger on the low E string at fret 7, middle finger on the D string at fret 6 and ring finger on the G string at fret 6.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | 7 | 4 | B (2) |
| 5 (A) | 5 | 1 (barre) | D (4) |
| 4 (D) | 6 | 2 | G♯ (7) |
| 3 (G) | 6 | 3 | C♯ (3) |
| 2 (B) | 5 | 1 (barre) | E (5) |
| 1 (e) | 5 | 1 (barre) | A (1) |
Amaj11/B inversion · fret 7
A major 11th is played at the 7th fret as 7 7 7 7 9 9: barre your index finger across fret 7, ring finger on the B string at fret 9 and pinky finger on the high e string at fret 9.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | 7 | 1 (barre) | B (2) |
| 5 (A) | 7 | 1 (barre) | E (5) |
| 4 (D) | 7 | 1 (barre) | A (1) |
| 3 (G) | 7 | 1 (barre) | D (4) |
| 2 (B) | 9 | 3 | G♯ (7) |
| 1 (e) | 9 | 4 | C♯ (3) |
Why it sounds like that
A major 11th is built from the formula 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11 over A. The 11th, D, adds a suspended color above the major 7th. Compare it with A major 9th, which stops at the 9th.
What goes wrong with A major 11th?
- Let the high e string buzz under the barre.
- Allow the pinky to flatten onto the B string.
- Mute the D string with the middle finger's underside.
When to use it
A major 11th works as the tonic in A major, especially in the I–IV–V–I progression A–D–E–A. It suits jazz, neo-soul, and slow ballads where the added 11th softens the major 7th. Try it in place of A major for a lush ending.
Changing to and from A major 11th
- Sliding the shape down two frets to the 3rd fret gives G major 11th.
- From A major, lift the pinky and move the middle and ring fingers down one string each.
Which voicing to use
The 5th-fret voicing keeps A in the bass for a grounded root position. The C♯ inversions put the third in the bass, making the chord sound brighter and less stable.
Other A chords
Common questions
How is A major 11th written?
A major 11th is written as AM11 or Amaj11. The root is A, and it has no enharmonic alias.
What is the difference between A major 11th and A major 9th?
A major 11th adds the 11th, D, to the five notes of A major 9th. The 11th creates a suspended sound against the major third.
Why does the 5th-fret shape use a barre?
The barre at fret 5 covers the root A on string 5, the fifth E on string 6, and the ninth B on string 2. It frees the other fingers for the 11th and major 7th.