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C major 11th chord on guitar (Cmaj11)
Also called or written Cmaj11 or CM11
C major 11th contains C, E, G, B, D, F. The 8th-fret grip demands a full barre and a pinky stretch to fret 10.
How it is built
Formula 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11
- Root positionC–E–G–B–D–FCmaj118-8-9-9-8-10
- First inversionE–G–B–D–F–CCmaj11/E0-2-0-0-1-1
- Second inversionG–B–D–F–C–ECmaj11/Gno shape on this instrument
- Third inversionB–D–F–C–E–GCmaj11/Bno shape on this instrument
- Fourth inversionD–F–C–E–G–BCmaj11/D10-8-9-9-8-8
- Fifth inversionF–C–E–G–B–DCmaj11/F1-2-0-0-1-0
How do you play a C major 11th chord on guitar?
C major 11th is played at the 8th fret as 8 8 9 9 8 10: barre your index finger across fret 8, middle finger on the D string at fret 9, ring finger on the G 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 (1) |
| 5 (A) | 8 | 1 (barre) | F (4) |
| 4 (D) | 9 | 2 | B (7) |
| 3 (G) | 9 | 3 | E (3) |
| 2 (B) | 8 | 1 (barre) | G (5) |
| 1 (e) | 10 | 4 | D (2) |
AdvancedThe index barre must fret the A string and high e cleanly while the pinky reaches fret 10.
Cmaj11/E inversion · 0-2-0-0-1-1 — the easy shape, no barre
C major 11th is played in open position as 0 2 0 0 1 1: ring finger on the A string at fret 2, index finger on the B string at fret 1 and middle finger on the high e string at fret 1. The low E, D and G strings ring open.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | open | — | E (3) |
| 5 (A) | 2 | 3 | B (7) |
| 4 (D) | open | — | D (2) |
| 3 (G) | open | — | G (5) |
| 2 (B) | 1 | 1 | C (1) |
| 1 (e) | 1 | 2 | F (4) |
Cmaj11/E inversion · 0-3-0-0-0-1
C major 11th is played in open position as 0 3 0 0 0 1: middle finger on the A string at fret 3 and index finger on the high e string at fret 1. The low E, D, G and B strings ring open.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | open | — | E (3) |
| 5 (A) | 3 | 2 | C (1) |
| 4 (D) | open | — | D (2) |
| 3 (G) | open | — | G (5) |
| 2 (B) | open | — | B (7) |
| 1 (e) | 1 | 1 | F (4) |
Cmaj11/E inversion · 12-10-10-10-12-10
C major 11th is played at the 10th fret as 12 10 10 10 12 10: barre your index finger across fret 10, ring finger on the low E string at fret 12 and pinky finger on the B string at fret 12.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | 12 | 3 | E (3) |
| 5 (A) | 10 | 1 (barre) | G (5) |
| 4 (D) | 10 | 1 (barre) | C (1) |
| 3 (G) | 10 | 1 (barre) | F (4) |
| 2 (B) | 12 | 4 | B (7) |
| 1 (e) | 10 | 1 (barre) | D (2) |
Cmaj11/E inversion · 12-14-12-12-13-13
C major 11th is played at the 12th fret as 12 14 12 12 13 13: barre your index finger across fret 12, pinky finger on the A string at fret 14, middle finger on the B string at fret 13 and ring finger on the high e string at fret 13.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | 12 | 1 (barre) | E (3) |
| 5 (A) | 14 | 4 | B (7) |
| 4 (D) | 12 | 1 (barre) | D (2) |
| 3 (G) | 12 | 1 (barre) | G (5) |
| 2 (B) | 13 | 2 | C (1) |
| 1 (e) | 13 | 3 | F (4) |
Why it sounds like that
C major 11th is built from the formula 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11 over C. The 11th, F, adds a suspended color above the major 7th. Compare it with C major 9th, which stops at the 9th.
What goes wrong with C 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
C major 11th works as the tonic in C major, especially in the I–IV–V–I progression C–F–G–C. It suits jazz, neo-soul, and slow ballads where the added 11th softens the major 7th. Try it in place of C major for a lush ending.
Changing to and from C major 11th
- Sliding the shape down one fret to the 7th fret gives B major 11th.
- From C major, lift the pinky and move the middle and ring fingers down one string each.
Which voicing to use
The 8th-fret voicing keeps C in the bass for a grounded root position. The E inversions put the third in the bass, making the chord sound brighter and less stable.
Other C chords
Common questions
How is C major 11th written?
C major 11th is written as CM11 or Cmaj11. The root is C, and it has no enharmonic alias.
What is the difference between C major 11th and C major 9th?
C major 11th adds the 11th, F, to the five notes of C major 9th. The 11th creates a suspended sound against the major third.
Why does the 8th-fret shape use a barre?
The barre at fret 8 covers the root C on string 5, the fifth G on string 6, and the ninth D on string 2. It frees the other fingers for the 11th and major 7th.