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B major 11th chord on guitar (Bmaj11)
Also called or written Bmaj11 or BM11
B major 11th contains B, D♯, F♯, A♯, C♯, E. The 7th-fret grip demands a full barre and a pinky stretch to fret 9.
How it is built
Formula 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11
- Root positionB–D♯–F♯–A♯–C♯–EBmaj117-7-8-8-7-9
- First inversionD♯–F♯–A♯–C♯–E–BBmaj11/D♯11-9-9-9-11-9
- Second inversionF♯–A♯–C♯–E–B–D♯Bmaj11/F♯no shape on this instrument
- Third inversionA♯–C♯–E–B–D♯–F♯Bmaj11/A♯no shape on this instrument
- Fourth inversionC♯–E–B–D♯–F♯–A♯Bmaj11/C♯9-7-8-8-7-7
- Fifth inversionE–B–D♯–F♯–A♯–C♯Bmaj11/E12-13-11-11-12-11
How do you play a B major 11th chord on guitar?
B major 11th is played at the 7th fret as 7 7 8 8 7 9: barre your index finger across fret 7, middle finger on the D string at fret 8, ring finger on the G string at fret 8 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 (1) |
| 5 (A) | 7 | 1 (barre) | E (4) |
| 4 (D) | 8 | 2 | A♯ (7) |
| 3 (G) | 8 | 3 | D♯ (3) |
| 2 (B) | 7 | 1 (barre) | F♯ (5) |
| 1 (e) | 9 | 4 | C♯ (2) |
AdvancedThe index barre must fret the A string and high e cleanly while the pinky reaches fret 9.
Bmaj11/D♯ inversion · fret 9
B major 11th is played at the 9th fret as 11 9 9 9 11 9: barre your index finger across fret 9, ring finger on the low E string at fret 11 and pinky finger on the B string at fret 11.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | 11 | 3 | D♯ (3) |
| 5 (A) | 9 | 1 (barre) | F♯ (5) |
| 4 (D) | 9 | 1 (barre) | B (1) |
| 3 (G) | 9 | 1 (barre) | E (4) |
| 2 (B) | 11 | 4 | A♯ (7) |
| 1 (e) | 9 | 1 (barre) | C♯ (2) |
Bmaj11/D♯ inversion · fret 11
B major 11th is played at the 11th fret as 11 13 11 11 12 12: barre your index finger across fret 11, pinky finger on the A string at fret 13, middle finger on the B string at fret 12 and ring finger on the high e string at fret 12.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | 11 | 1 (barre) | D♯ (3) |
| 5 (A) | 13 | 4 | A♯ (7) |
| 4 (D) | 11 | 1 (barre) | C♯ (2) |
| 3 (G) | 11 | 1 (barre) | F♯ (5) |
| 2 (B) | 12 | 2 | B (1) |
| 1 (e) | 12 | 3 | E (4) |
Bmaj11/C♯ inversion · fret 7
B major 11th is played at the 7th fret as 9 7 8 8 7 7: barre your index finger across fret 7, pinky finger on the low E string at fret 9, middle finger on the D string at fret 8 and ring finger on the G string at fret 8.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | 9 | 4 | C♯ (2) |
| 5 (A) | 7 | 1 (barre) | E (4) |
| 4 (D) | 8 | 2 | A♯ (7) |
| 3 (G) | 8 | 3 | D♯ (3) |
| 2 (B) | 7 | 1 (barre) | F♯ (5) |
| 1 (e) | 7 | 1 (barre) | B (1) |
Bmaj11/C♯ inversion · fret 9
B major 11th is played at the 9th fret as 9 9 9 9 11 11: barre your index finger across fret 9, 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) | 9 | 1 (barre) | C♯ (2) |
| 5 (A) | 9 | 1 (barre) | F♯ (5) |
| 4 (D) | 9 | 1 (barre) | B (1) |
| 3 (G) | 9 | 1 (barre) | E (4) |
| 2 (B) | 11 | 3 | A♯ (7) |
| 1 (e) | 11 | 4 | D♯ (3) |
Why it sounds like that
B major 11th is built from the formula 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11 over B. The 11th, E, adds a suspended color above the major 7th. Compare it with B major 9th, which stops at the 9th.
What goes wrong with B 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
B major 11th works as the tonic in B major, especially in the I–IV–V–I progression B–E–F♯–B. It suits jazz, neo-soul, and slow ballads where the added 11th softens the major 7th. Try it in place of B major for a lush ending.
Changing to and from B major 11th
- Sliding the shape down two frets to the 5th fret gives A major 11th.
- From B major, lift the pinky and move the middle and ring fingers down one string each.
Which voicing to use
The 7th-fret voicing keeps B in the bass for a grounded root position. The D♯ inversions put the third in the bass, making the chord sound brighter and less stable.
Other B chords
Common questions
How is B major 11th written?
B major 11th is written as BM11 or Bmaj11. The root is B, and it has no enharmonic alias.
What is the difference between B major 11th and B major 9th?
B major 11th adds the 11th, E, to the five notes of B major 9th. The 11th creates a suspended sound against the major third.
Why does the 7th-fret shape use a barre?
The barre at fret 7 covers the root B on string 5, the fifth F♯ on string 6, and the ninth C♯ on string 2. It frees the other fingers for the 11th and major 7th.