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G 11th chord on guitar (G11)
Also called or written G11 or G
G 11th is built from G, B, D, F, A, and C. This advanced open chord uses three fretted notes and three open strings.
How it is built
Formula 1, 3, 5, ♭7, 9, 11
- Root positionG–B–D–F–A–CG113-3-0-2-0-1
- First inversionB–D–F–A–C–GG11/B7-5-5-5-6-5
- Second inversionD–F–A–C–G–BG11/Dno shape on this instrument
- Third inversionF–A–C–G–B–DG11/F1-3-0-2-0-3
- Fourth inversionA–C–G–B–D–FG11/A5-3-3-4-3-3
- Fifth inversionC–G–B–D–F–AG11/C8-8-7-7-8-7
How do you play a G 11th chord on guitar?
G 11th is played in open position as 3 3 0 2 0 1: ring finger on the low E string at fret 3, pinky finger on the A string at fret 3, middle finger on the G string at fret 2 and index finger on the high e string at fret 1. The D and B strings ring open.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | 3 | 3 | G (1) |
| 5 (A) | 3 | 4 | C (4) |
| 4 (D) | open | — | D (5) |
| 3 (G) | 2 | 2 | A (2) |
| 2 (B) | open | — | B (3) |
| 1 (e) | 1 | 1 | F (♭7) |
AdvancedThe ring and pinky must fret the 6th and 5th strings cleanly without muting the open 4th string.
3rd fret
G 11th is played at the 3rd fret as 3 3 3 4 3 5: barre your index finger across fret 3, ring finger on the G string at fret 4 and pinky finger on the high e string at fret 5.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | 3 | 1 (barre) | G (1) |
| 5 (A) | 3 | 1 (barre) | C (4) |
| 4 (D) | 3 | 1 (barre) | F (♭7) |
| 3 (G) | 4 | 3 | B (3) |
| 2 (B) | 3 | 1 (barre) | D (5) |
| 1 (e) | 5 | 4 | A (2) |
G11/B inversion · fret 5
G 11th is played at the 5th fret as 7 5 5 5 6 5: barre your index finger across fret 5, pinky finger on the low E string at fret 7 and ring finger on the B string at fret 6.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | 7 | 4 | B (3) |
| 5 (A) | 5 | 1 (barre) | D (5) |
| 4 (D) | 5 | 1 (barre) | G (1) |
| 3 (G) | 5 | 1 (barre) | C (4) |
| 2 (B) | 6 | 3 | F (♭7) |
| 1 (e) | 5 | 1 (barre) | A (2) |
G11/B inversion · fret 7
G 11th is played at the 7th fret as 7 8 7 7 8 8: barre your index finger across fret 7, middle finger on the A string at fret 8, ring finger on the B string at fret 8 and pinky finger on the high e string at fret 8.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | 7 | 1 (barre) | B (3) |
| 5 (A) | 8 | 2 | F (♭7) |
| 4 (D) | 7 | 1 (barre) | A (2) |
| 3 (G) | 7 | 1 (barre) | D (5) |
| 2 (B) | 8 | 3 | G (1) |
| 1 (e) | 8 | 4 | C (4) |
G11/F inversion
G 11th is played in open position as 1 3 0 2 0 3: index finger on the low E string at fret 1, ring finger on the A string at fret 3, middle finger on the G string at fret 2 and pinky finger on the high e string at fret 3. The D and B strings ring open.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | 1 | 1 | F (♭7) |
| 5 (A) | 3 | 3 | C (4) |
| 4 (D) | open | — | D (5) |
| 3 (G) | 2 | 2 | A (2) |
| 2 (B) | open | — | B (3) |
| 1 (e) | 3 | 4 | G (1) |
Why it sounds like that
G 11th stacks a major 3rd, perfect 5th, minor 7th, major 2nd, and perfect 4th above G. The minor 7th gives it dominant pull, and the added 11th softens the G 9th sound.
What goes wrong with G 11th?
- The ring finger mutes the 4th string by leaning on it.
- The pinky mutes the 4th string by flattening onto it.
When to use it
G 11th works as a dominant in C major progressions like C–F–G–C, the I–IV–V–I. It suits blues, funk, and jazz-rock where the 11th adds grit over G major.
Changing to and from G 11th
- Sliding the shape down two frets to the 1st fret gives F 11th.
- Sliding the shape up two frets to the 5th fret gives A 11th.
Which voicing to use
The open position keeps G in the bass for a root-position sound. The G11/B inversion at the 5th fret puts the third in the bass, making the chord brighter and less stable.
Other G chords
Common questions
How is G 11th written?
G 11th is written as G11 or simply G. The root is G.
What is the difference between G 11th and G 9th?
G 11th adds the 11th note C to the G 9th chord. The 11th creates a softer, more suspended sound than the sharper dominant quality of G 9th.
Why does G 11th contain a tritone?
G 11th contains a tritone between the major 3rd B and the minor 7th F. This interval creates tension that resolves to the tonic chord in C major.