E♭ eleventh (E♭11) chord on banjo

Looking for the E♭11 chord on banjo? It is an eleventh chord (a dominant ninth plus a perfect eleventh), made of six notes: E♭ – G – B♭ – D♭ – F – A♭. The same chord with a different spelling: D♯ eleventh (D♯11).

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Basic shapemedium

Position 4medium

Position 8medium

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What the E♭11 chord sounds like

An eleventh chord has six notes in theory. In practice the third is left out (it clashes with the eleventh), so it sounds like a 9sus4 – a modern, open dominant.

Notes of the E♭11 chord

Degree	Note	Interval from the root
1	E♭	root
3	G	major third (4 semitones) – often omitted on fretted instruments
5	B♭	perfect fifth (7 semitones) – often omitted on fretted instruments
7	D♭	minor seventh (10 semitones)
9	F	major second (2 semitones) – often omitted on fretted instruments
11	A♭	perfect fourth (5 semitones)

How to play it – with fingering

Basic shape

String 1 (D): fret 1, ring finger (E♭4)
String 2 (B): fret 2, little finger (D♭4)
String 3 (G): fret 1, middle finger (A♭3)
String 4 (D): fret 1, index finger (E♭3)

Position 4

String 1 (D): fret 6, little finger (A♭4)
String 2 (B): fret 4, index finger (E♭4)
String 3 (G): fret 6, ring finger (D♭4)
String 4 (D): fret 6, ring finger (A♭3)

Position 8, barre at fret 8

String 1 (D): fret 11, little finger (D♭5)
String 2 (B): fret 9, middle finger (A♭4)
String 3 (G): fret 8, index finger (E♭4)
String 4 (D): fret 8, index finger (B♭3)

For the barre, lay your index finger flat across all the marked strings at fret 8; your other fingers press the higher frets.

Five-string banjo in open G tuning (g D G B D). The diagram shows the four long strings; the short 5th string (g) rings open – avoid it when G is not in the chord. In the diagram, × means the string is not played, and a circle means an open string.

Which keys is it in?

The E♭11 chord is built from the notes of these keys (for minor keys, both the natural and the harmonic minor are considered):

A♭ major: V11 (dominant)
F minor: VII11

Similar chords and substitutes

If E♭11 is too hard, or you want a different colour in the same spot, these chords are worth a try.

Substitutes (by function)

A7 – tritone substitute: the same third and seventh, swapped – a jazz favourite
Gdim7 – diminished seventh on the third: a common stand-in for the dominant
E♭7 – a simpler dominant
E♭7sus4 – suspended dominant, less tense
A♭ – where it resolves (V → I)

Simpler versions

E♭9 – all 5 of its notes are in this chord
E♭7 – all 4 of its notes are in this chord
E♭7sus4 – all 4 of its notes are in this chord
E♭add9 – all 4 of its notes are in this chord

Frequently asked questions

What notes are in the E♭11 chord?

E♭, G, B♭, D♭, F, A♭. The root is E♭; the intervals of the other notes from the root: major third, perfect fifth, minor seventh, major second, perfect fourth.

What is the easiest way to play E♭11 on banjo?

The easiest shape above is “Basic shape”. We show 3 shapes, from open and easy versions to movable barre shapes higher up the neck.

How do I read the chord diagram?

Strings run from the lowest (left) to the highest (right) – tick “Left-handed” to mirror it. Rows are frets; a number at the side shows the starting fret. Dots are fingers (1 index, 2 middle, 3 ring, 4 little), a long bar is a barre, × means don't play that string and ○ means play it open.

Why is a note missing from some E♭11 shapes?

On a fretted instrument you can't always play every note of a 6-note chord. In an eleventh chord the third (G) is normally left out because it clashes with the eleventh. The fifth (B♭) and ninth (F) may be dropped – the chord keeps its character without them.

How is the E♭11 chord written?

The chord symbol is E♭11 (also written Eb11), and its full name is E♭ eleventh.