Tools / Chords / D minor 11th

D minor 11th chord on guitar (Dm11)

Also written Dm11 or Dmin11

D minor 11th contains D, F, A, C, E and G. The 10th-fret barre is a full-finger stretch with the pinky reaching two frets higher.

10th fret10-10-10-10-10-12

Positions on the neck1 of 5

How it’s built

D1Root

F♭3Minor 3rd

A5Perfect 5th

C♭7Minor 7th

E99th

G11Eleventh

Formula 1, ♭3, 5, ♭7, 9, 11

Positions on the neck1 of 5

Inversions

The same three notes, with a different one in the bass.

Root positionD–F–A–C–E–GDm11Bass D

First inversionF–A–C–E–G–DDm11/FBass F

Second inversionA–C–E–G–D–FDm11/ABass A

Third inversionC–E–G–D–F–ADm11/CBass C

Fourth inversionE–G–D–F–A–CDm11/EBass E

Fifth inversionG–D–F–A–C–EDm11/GBass G

Why it sounds like that

D minor 11th is built from the formula 1, ♭3, 5, ♭7, 9, 11. The 11th, G, adds a suspended colour above the minor seventh. Compare with D minor 9th, which omits the 11th.

What goes wrong with D minor 11th?

The 4th string buzzes because the index barre is not pressing evenly at the 10th fret.
The pinky fails to fret the 1st string at the 12th fret, muting the 11th.

When to use it

D minor 11th appears as the vi in F major progressions like F–C–Dm–B♭, the I–V–vi–IV. It fits jazz ballads and R&B where the 11th adds warmth.

Changing to and from D minor 11th

Sliding the shape down one fret to the 9th fret gives C♯ minor 11th.

Which voicing to use

The 10th-fret position keeps D in the bass for a solid root. The Dm11/F inversion at the 12th fret puts F in the bass, creating a darker, more unstable sound.

How do you play a D minor 11th chord on guitar?

10th fret

Barre● On the diagram

D minor 11th is played at the 10th fret as 10 10 10 10 10 12: barre your index finger across fret 10 and pinky finger on the high e string at fret 12.

Tip — The index barre must fret five strings at the 10th fret while the pinky reaches the 12th fret on the high E string.

String-by-string breakdown

String	Fret	Finger	Note
6 (E)	10	1 (barre)	D (1)
5 (A)	10	1 (barre)	G (11)
4 (D)	10	1 (barre)	C (♭7)
3 (G)	10	1 (barre)	F (♭3)
2 (B)	10	1 (barre)	A (5)
1 (e)	12	4	E (9)

Dm11/F inversion · open position

Beginner

D minor 11th is played in open position as 1 0 0 0 1 0: index finger on the low E string at fret 1 and middle finger on the B string at fret 1. The A, D, G and high e strings ring open.

String-by-string breakdown

String	Fret	Finger	Note
6 (E)	1	1	F (♭3)
5 (A)	open	—	A (5)
4 (D)	open	—	D (1)
3 (G)	open	—	G (11)
2 (B)	1	2	C (♭7)
1 (e)	open	—	E (9)

Dm11/F inversion · fret 12

Barre

D minor 11th is played at the 12th fret as 13 12 12 12 13 12: barre your index finger across fret 12, ring finger on the low E string at fret 13 and pinky finger on the B string at fret 13.

String-by-string breakdown

String	Fret	Finger	Note
6 (E)	13	3	F (♭3)
5 (A)	12	1 (barre)	A (5)
4 (D)	12	1 (barre)	D (1)
3 (G)	12	1 (barre)	G (11)
2 (B)	13	4	C (♭7)
1 (e)	12	1 (barre)	E (9)

Dm11/E inversion · open position

Beginner

D minor 11th is played in open position as 0 0 0 0 1 1: index finger on the B string at fret 1 and middle finger on the high e string at fret 1. The low E, A, D and G strings ring open.

String-by-string breakdown

String	Fret	Finger	Note
6 (E)	open	—	E (9)
5 (A)	open	—	A (5)
4 (D)	open	—	D (1)
3 (G)	open	—	G (11)
2 (B)	1	1	C (♭7)
1 (e)	1	2	F (♭3)

Dm11/E inversion · fret 10

Barre

D minor 11th is played at the 10th fret as 12 10 10 10 10 10: barre your index finger across fret 10 and pinky finger on the low E string at fret 12.

String-by-string breakdown

String	Fret	Finger	Note
6 (E)	12	4	E (9)
5 (A)	10	1 (barre)	G (11)
4 (D)	10	1 (barre)	C (♭7)
3 (G)	10	1 (barre)	F (♭3)
2 (B)	10	1 (barre)	A (5)
1 (e)	10	1 (barre)	D (1)

Common questions

How is D minor 11th written?

D minor 11th is written Dmin11 or Dm11. The root is D, and it has no common enharmonic spelling.

What is the difference between D minor 11th and D minor 9th?

D minor 11th adds the 11th, G, to the notes of D minor 9th. The 11th creates a suspended quality that the 9th does not have.

Why does the 10th-fret shape use a full barre?

The barre covers five strings at the 10th fret to sound the root, fifth, seventh, ninth and eleventh. Only the high E string is fretted separately with the pinky.

String

Fret

Finger

Note

6 (E)

1 (barre)

D (1)

5 (A)

1 (barre)

G (11)

4 (D)

1 (barre)

C (♭7)

3 (G)

1 (barre)

F (♭3)

2 (B)

1 (barre)

A (5)

1 (e)

E (9)

String

Fret

Finger

Note

6 (E)

F (♭3)

5 (A)

open

—

A (5)

4 (D)

open

—

D (1)

3 (G)

open

—

G (11)

2 (B)

C (♭7)

1 (e)

open

—

E (9)

String

Fret

Finger

Note

6 (E)

F (♭3)

5 (A)

1 (barre)

A (5)

4 (D)

1 (barre)

D (1)

3 (G)

1 (barre)

G (11)

2 (B)

C (♭7)

1 (e)

1 (barre)

E (9)

String

Fret

Finger

Note

6 (E)

open

—

E (9)

5 (A)

open

—

A (5)

4 (D)

open

—

D (1)

3 (G)

open

—

G (11)

2 (B)

C (♭7)

1 (e)

F (♭3)

String

Fret

Finger

Note

6 (E)

E (9)

5 (A)

1 (barre)

G (11)

4 (D)

1 (barre)

C (♭7)

3 (G)

1 (barre)

F (♭3)

2 (B)

1 (barre)

A (5)

1 (e)

1 (barre)

D (1)