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F♯ minor 11th chord on guitar (F♯m11)
Also called or written F♯m11 or F♯min11
F♯ minor 11th is built from F♯, A, C♯, E, G♯ and B. The 2nd-fret barre with a pinky reach to the 4th fret is a compact but stretchy grip.
How it is built
Formula 1, ♭3, 5, ♭7, 9, 11
- Root positionF♯–A–C♯–E–G♯–BF♯m112-2-2-2-2-4
- First inversionA–C♯–E–G♯–B–F♯F♯m11/A5-4-4-4-5-4
- Second inversionC♯–E–G♯–B–F♯–AF♯m11/C♯no shape on this instrument
- Third inversionE–G♯–B–F♯–A–C♯F♯m11/Eno shape on this instrument
- Fourth inversionG♯–B–F♯–A–C♯–EF♯m11/G♯4-2-2-2-2-2
- Fifth inversionB–F♯–A–C♯–E–G♯F♯m11/Bno shape on this instrument
How do you play an F♯ minor 11th chord on guitar?
F♯ minor 11th is played at the 2nd fret as 2 2 2 2 2 4: barre your index finger across fret 2 and pinky finger on the high e string at fret 4.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | 2 | 1 (barre) | F♯ (1) |
| 5 (A) | 2 | 1 (barre) | B (4) |
| 4 (D) | 2 | 1 (barre) | E (♭7) |
| 3 (G) | 2 | 1 (barre) | A (♭3) |
| 2 (B) | 2 | 1 (barre) | C♯ (5) |
| 1 (e) | 4 | 4 | G♯ (2) |
AdvancedThe index barre must hold five strings at the 2nd fret while the pinky stretches to the 4th fret on the high e string.
F♯m11/A inversion
F♯ minor 11th is played at the 4th fret as 5 4 4 4 5 4: barre your index finger across fret 4, ring finger on the low E string at fret 5 and pinky finger on the B string at fret 5.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | 5 | 3 | A (♭3) |
| 5 (A) | 4 | 1 (barre) | C♯ (5) |
| 4 (D) | 4 | 1 (barre) | F♯ (1) |
| 3 (G) | 4 | 1 (barre) | B (4) |
| 2 (B) | 5 | 4 | E (♭7) |
| 1 (e) | 4 | 1 (barre) | G♯ (2) |
F♯m11/G♯ inversion · fret 2
F♯ minor 11th is played at the 2nd fret as 4 2 2 2 2 2: barre your index finger across fret 2 and pinky finger on the low E string at fret 4.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | 4 | 4 | G♯ (2) |
| 5 (A) | 2 | 1 (barre) | B (4) |
| 4 (D) | 2 | 1 (barre) | E (♭7) |
| 3 (G) | 2 | 1 (barre) | A (♭3) |
| 2 (B) | 2 | 1 (barre) | C♯ (5) |
| 1 (e) | 2 | 1 (barre) | F♯ (1) |
F♯m11/G♯ inversion · fret 4
F♯ minor 11th is played at the 4th fret as 4 4 4 4 5 5: barre your index finger across fret 4, ring finger on the B string at fret 5 and pinky finger on the high e string at fret 5.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | 4 | 1 (barre) | G♯ (2) |
| 5 (A) | 4 | 1 (barre) | C♯ (5) |
| 4 (D) | 4 | 1 (barre) | F♯ (1) |
| 3 (G) | 4 | 1 (barre) | B (4) |
| 2 (B) | 5 | 3 | E (♭7) |
| 1 (e) | 5 | 4 | A (♭3) |
Why it sounds like that
F♯ minor 11th stacks a minor 3rd, perfect 5th, minor 7th, major 2nd and perfect 4th above F♯. The 11th, B, adds a suspended colour that softens the minor 7th. Compare F♯ minor 9th, which omits the 11th and sounds more direct.
What goes wrong with F♯ minor 11th?
- The high e string is muted because the pinky touches it while fretting the 4th fret.
- The index barre fails to press the A string, leaving the 2nd-fret note dead.
When to use it
F♯ minor 11th appears as the vi chord in A major progressions like A–E–F♯ minor–D, the I–V–vi–IV. Its bright yet dark sound suits indie rock and modern jazz. Use it in place of F♯ minor when the arrangement needs more harmonic colour.
Changing to and from F♯ minor 11th
- Sliding the shape up one fret to the 3rd fret gives G minor 11th; move the barre and pinky together.
Which voicing to use
The 2nd-fret voicing keeps F♯ in the bass for a solid root-position sound. The F♯m11/A inversion at the 4th fret puts A in the bass, creating a smoother, less grounded feel.
Other F♯ chords
Common questions
How is F♯ minor 11th written?
F♯ minor 11th is written F♯min11 or F♯m11. The ASCII root is F#. It is also spelled G♭ in enharmonic notation for the same sounding root.
Why does the 2nd-fret barre feel cramped?
The 2nd fret is near the nut, where the frets are widest and the string tension is lowest. The pinky stretch to the 4th fret requires a wide hand span.
How does F♯ minor 11th differ from F♯ minor 9th?
F♯ minor 11th adds the 11th, B, to the minor 9th. That perfect 4th creates a more open, suspended sound than the 9th alone.