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C♯ major 11th chord on guitar (C♯maj11)
Also called or written C♯maj11 or C♯M11
C♯ major 11th contains C♯, E♯, G♯, B♯, D♯, F♯. The 9th-fret grip demands a full barre and a pinky stretch to fret 11.
How it is built
Formula 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11
- Root positionC♯–E♯–G♯–B♯–D♯–F♯C♯maj119-9-10-10-9-11
- First inversionE♯–G♯–B♯–D♯–F♯–C♯C♯maj11/E♯1-3-1-1-2-2
- Second inversionG♯–B♯–D♯–F♯–C♯–E♯C♯maj11/G♯no shape on this instrument
- Third inversionB♯–D♯–F♯–C♯–E♯–G♯C♯maj11/B♯no shape on this instrument
- Fourth inversionD♯–F♯–C♯–E♯–G♯–B♯C♯maj11/D♯11-9-10-10-9-9
- Fifth inversionF♯–C♯–E♯–G♯–B♯–D♯C♯maj11/F♯2-3-1-1-2-1
How do you play a C♯ major 11th chord on guitar?
C♯ major 11th is played at the 9th fret as 9 9 10 10 9 11: barre your index finger across fret 9, middle finger on the D string at fret 10, ring finger on the G string at fret 10 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♯ (1) |
| 5 (A) | 9 | 1 (barre) | F♯ (4) |
| 4 (D) | 10 | 2 | B♯ (7) |
| 3 (G) | 10 | 3 | E♯ (3) |
| 2 (B) | 9 | 1 (barre) | G♯ (5) |
| 1 (e) | 11 | 4 | D♯ (2) |
AdvancedThe index barre must fret the A string and high e cleanly while the pinky reaches fret 11.
C♯maj11/E♯ inversion · fret 1
C♯ major 11th is played at the 1st fret as 1 3 1 1 2 2: barre your index finger across fret 1, pinky finger on the A string at fret 3, middle finger on the B string at fret 2 and ring finger on the high e string at fret 2.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | 1 | 1 (barre) | E♯ (3) |
| 5 (A) | 3 | 4 | B♯ (7) |
| 4 (D) | 1 | 1 (barre) | D♯ (2) |
| 3 (G) | 1 | 1 (barre) | G♯ (5) |
| 2 (B) | 2 | 2 | C♯ (1) |
| 1 (e) | 2 | 3 | F♯ (4) |
C♯maj11/E♯ inversion · fret 11
C♯ major 11th is played at the 11th fret as 13 11 11 11 13 11: barre your index finger across fret 11, ring finger on the low E string at fret 13 and pinky finger on the B string at fret 13.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | 13 | 3 | E♯ (3) |
| 5 (A) | 11 | 1 (barre) | G♯ (5) |
| 4 (D) | 11 | 1 (barre) | C♯ (1) |
| 3 (G) | 11 | 1 (barre) | F♯ (4) |
| 2 (B) | 13 | 4 | B♯ (7) |
| 1 (e) | 11 | 1 (barre) | D♯ (2) |
C♯maj11/E♯ inversion · fret 13
C♯ major 11th is played at the 13th fret as 13 15 13 13 14 14: barre your index finger across fret 13, pinky finger on the A string at fret 15, middle finger on the B string at fret 14 and ring finger on the high e string at fret 14.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | 13 | 1 (barre) | E♯ (3) |
| 5 (A) | 15 | 4 | B♯ (7) |
| 4 (D) | 13 | 1 (barre) | D♯ (2) |
| 3 (G) | 13 | 1 (barre) | G♯ (5) |
| 2 (B) | 14 | 2 | C♯ (1) |
| 1 (e) | 14 | 3 | F♯ (4) |
C♯maj11/D♯ inversion
C♯ major 11th is played at the 9th fret as 11 9 10 10 9 9: barre your index finger across fret 9, pinky finger on the low E string at fret 11, middle finger on the D string at fret 10 and ring finger on the G string at fret 10.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | 11 | 4 | D♯ (2) |
| 5 (A) | 9 | 1 (barre) | F♯ (4) |
| 4 (D) | 10 | 2 | B♯ (7) |
| 3 (G) | 10 | 3 | E♯ (3) |
| 2 (B) | 9 | 1 (barre) | G♯ (5) |
| 1 (e) | 9 | 1 (barre) | C♯ (1) |
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 two frets 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 9th-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 C♯M11 or C♯maj11. The ASCII root is C#. It is also spelled D♭ in enharmonic notation for the same sounding root.
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 9th-fret shape use a barre?
The barre at fret 9 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.