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B♭ 11th chord on guitar (B♭11)
Also called or written B♭11 or B♭
B♭ 11th is built from B♭, D, F, A♭, C, E♭. This advanced barre chord spans a wide fret range, requiring a strong index barre and a pinky stretch.
How it is built
Formula 1, 3, 5, ♭7, 9, 11
- Root positionB♭–D–F–A♭–C–E♭B♭116-6-6-7-6-8
- First inversionD–F–A♭–C–E♭–B♭B♭11/D10-8-8-8-9-8
- Second inversionF–A♭–C–E♭–B♭–DB♭11/Fno shape on this instrument
- Third inversionA♭–C–E♭–B♭–D–FB♭11/A♭no shape on this instrument
- Fourth inversionC–E♭–B♭–D–F–A♭B♭11/C8-6-6-7-6-6
- Fifth inversionE♭–B♭–D–F–A♭–CB♭11/E♭11-11-10-10-11-10
How do you play a B♭ 11th chord on guitar?
B♭ 11th is played at the 6th fret as 6 6 6 7 6 8: barre your index finger across fret 6, ring finger on the G string at fret 7 and pinky finger on the high e string at fret 8.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | 6 | 1 (barre) | B♭ (1) |
| 5 (A) | 6 | 1 (barre) | E♭ (4) |
| 4 (D) | 6 | 1 (barre) | A♭ (♭7) |
| 3 (G) | 7 | 3 | D (3) |
| 2 (B) | 6 | 1 (barre) | F (5) |
| 1 (e) | 8 | 4 | C (2) |
AdvancedThe index barre must hold down five strings at fret 6 while the pinky reaches fret 8 on the high e, stretching the hand.
B♭11/D inversion · fret 8
B♭ 11th is played at the 8th fret as 10 8 8 8 9 8: barre your index finger across fret 8, pinky finger on the low E string at fret 10 and ring finger on the B string at fret 9.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | 10 | 4 | D (3) |
| 5 (A) | 8 | 1 (barre) | F (5) |
| 4 (D) | 8 | 1 (barre) | B♭ (1) |
| 3 (G) | 8 | 1 (barre) | E♭ (4) |
| 2 (B) | 9 | 3 | A♭ (♭7) |
| 1 (e) | 8 | 1 (barre) | C (2) |
B♭11/D inversion · fret 10
B♭ 11th is played at the 10th fret as 10 11 10 10 11 11: barre your index finger across fret 10, middle finger on the A string at fret 11, ring finger on the B string at fret 11 and pinky finger on the high e string at fret 11.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | 10 | 1 (barre) | D (3) |
| 5 (A) | 11 | 2 | A♭ (♭7) |
| 4 (D) | 10 | 1 (barre) | C (2) |
| 3 (G) | 10 | 1 (barre) | F (5) |
| 2 (B) | 11 | 3 | B♭ (1) |
| 1 (e) | 11 | 4 | E♭ (4) |
B♭11/C inversion · fret 6
B♭ 11th is played at the 6th fret as 8 6 6 7 6 6: barre your index finger across fret 6, pinky finger on the low E string at fret 8 and ring finger on the G string at fret 7.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | 8 | 4 | C (2) |
| 5 (A) | 6 | 1 (barre) | E♭ (4) |
| 4 (D) | 6 | 1 (barre) | A♭ (♭7) |
| 3 (G) | 7 | 3 | D (3) |
| 2 (B) | 6 | 1 (barre) | F (5) |
| 1 (e) | 6 | 1 (barre) | B♭ (1) |
B♭11/C inversion · fret 8
B♭ 11th is played at the 8th fret as 8 8 8 8 9 10: barre your index finger across fret 8, ring finger on the B string at fret 9 and pinky finger on the high e string at fret 10.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | 8 | 1 (barre) | C (2) |
| 5 (A) | 8 | 1 (barre) | F (5) |
| 4 (D) | 8 | 1 (barre) | B♭ (1) |
| 3 (G) | 8 | 1 (barre) | E♭ (4) |
| 2 (B) | 9 | 3 | A♭ (♭7) |
| 1 (e) | 10 | 4 | D (3) |
Why it sounds like that
B♭ 11th combines a major triad with a ♭7, 9, and 11: 1–3–5–♭7–9–11. The 11th (E♭) adds a suspended colour over the dominant seventh. Contrast with B♭ 9th, which omits the 11th.
What goes wrong with B♭ 11th?
- The B string is muted because the index barre is not pressing hard enough at the 2nd string.
- The high e string is deadened by the pinky accidentally touching it before fret 8.
- The ring finger leans on the B string, preventing it from ringing.
When to use it
B♭ 11th is the V chord in E♭ major, resolving to E♭ major in progressions like E♭–A♭–B♭–E♭ (I–IV–V–I). Its lush dominant sound fits jazz ballads, R&B, and gospel, especially when following B♭ 9th.
Changing to and from B♭ 11th
- Move to E♭ major by lifting the ring and pinky fingers, then barre the 6th fret and place your middle finger on the 5th string at fret 8.
- Slide the shape down one fret to the 5th fret for A 11th.
Which voicing to use
The 6th fret root-position voicing keeps B♭ in the bass for a stable, full sound. The D inversions put the third in the bass, making the chord lighter and more mobile, while the C inversion creates a suspended bass movement.
Other B♭ chords
Common questions
How is B♭ 11th written?
B♭ 11th is written as B♭11 or Bb11. The root is B♭, also written Bb. It is also spelled A♯ in enharmonic notation for the same sounding root.
Why does B♭ 11th sound so rich?
B♭ 11th contains six notes, including the 9th and 11th, which create a dense, colourful harmony. The ♭7 and 11th together give it a suspended dominant quality that resolves smoothly.
What is the difference between B♭ 11th and B♭ 9th?
B♭ 9th has B♭, D, F, A♭, and C. B♭ 11th adds the E♭, the 11th, which adds a suspended fourth against the third. The 11th makes the chord more open and less direct.
Can I play B♭ 11th without the barre?
Yes, you can play an inversion like the B♭11/D shape at the 8th fret, which uses a smaller barre and omits the low B♭. That voicing is easier for smaller hands.