B♭ eleventh (B♭11) chord on guitar

The B♭ eleventh chord (B♭11) is an eleventh chord (a dominant ninth plus a perfect eleventh), made of six notes: B♭ – D – F – A♭ – C – E♭. The same chord with a different spelling: A♯ eleventh (A♯11).

Dots show:

Easy versioneasy

Position 3medium

Position 5medium

Position 6medium

Position 8medium

Position 11medium

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What the B♭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 B♭11 chord

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

How to play it – with fingering

Easy version

String 1 (e): not played
String 2 (B): not played
String 3 (G): fret 1, ring finger (A♭3)
String 4 (D): fret 1, middle finger (E♭3)
String 5 (A): fret 1, index finger (B♭2)
String 6 (E): not played

Position 3

String 1 (e): fret 4, middle finger (A♭4)
String 2 (B): fret 4, middle finger (E♭4)
String 3 (G): fret 5, ring finger (C4)
String 4 (D): fret 3, index finger (F3)
String 5 (A): fret 6, little finger (E♭3)
String 6 (E): fret 6, little finger (B♭2)

Position 5

String 1 (e): fret 6, ring finger (B♭4)
String 2 (B): fret 6, ring finger (F4)
String 3 (G): fret 5, index finger (C4)
String 4 (D): fret 6, middle finger (A♭3)
String 5 (A): fret 6, middle finger (E♭3)
String 6 (E): fret 6, middle finger (B♭2)

Tuning: E A D G B E (low to high). String 6 is the thickest, the low E. In the diagram, × means the string is not played, and a circle means an open string.

Which keys is it in?

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

E♭ major: V11 (dominant)
C minor: VII11

Similar chords and substitutes

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

Substitutes (by function)

E7 – tritone substitute: the same third and seventh, swapped – a jazz favourite
Ddim7 – diminished seventh on the third: a common stand-in for the dominant
B♭7 – a simpler dominant
B♭7sus4 – suspended dominant, less tense
E♭ – where it resolves (V → I)

Simpler versions

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

Frequently asked questions

What notes are in the B♭11 chord?

B♭, D, F, A♭, C, E♭. The root is B♭; 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 B♭11 on guitar?

The easiest shape above is “Easy version”, rated easy. We show 6 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 B♭11 shapes?

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

Why do some songbooks write H instead of B?

In German and Central European notation, H is the note B, and B is the note B♭. So a “B” chord in a German or Hungarian songbook is B♭ in English notation, and an “H” chord is B. Always check which notation your chord chart uses.