F♯ eleventh (F♯11) chord on mandolin

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

Dots show:

Basic shapeeasy

Position 1medium

Position 9medium

Position 7medium

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What the F♯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 F♯11 chord

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

How to play it – with fingering

Basic shape

String 1 (E): open (E5)
String 2 (A): fret 4, ring finger (C♯5)
String 3 (D): fret 4, middle finger (F♯4)
String 4 (G): fret 4, index finger (B3)

Position 1

String 1 (E): fret 2, little finger (F♯5)
String 2 (A): fret 2, ring finger (B4)
String 3 (D): fret 2, middle finger (E4)
String 4 (G): fret 1, index finger (G♯3)

Position 9

String 1 (E): fret 9, little finger (C♯6)
String 2 (A): fret 9, ring finger (F♯5)
String 3 (D): fret 9, middle finger (B4)
String 4 (G): fret 9, index finger (E4)

Tuning: G D A E, like a violin; every note is a pair of strings that you fret together. In the diagram, × means the string is not played, and a circle means an open string.

Which keys is it in?

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

B major: V11 (dominant)
G♯ minor: VII11

Similar chords and substitutes

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

Substitutes (by function)

C7 – tritone substitute: the same third and seventh, swapped – a jazz favourite
B♭dim7 – diminished seventh on the third: a common stand-in for the dominant
F♯7 – a simpler dominant
F♯7sus4 – suspended dominant, less tense
B – where it resolves (V → I)

Simpler versions

F♯9 – all 5 of its notes are in this chord
F♯7 – all 4 of its notes are in this chord
F♯7sus4 – all 4 of its notes are in this chord
F♯add9 – all 4 of its notes are in this chord

Frequently asked questions

What notes are in the F♯11 chord?

F♯, A♯, C♯, E, G♯, B. The root is F♯; 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 F♯11 on mandolin?

The easiest shape above is “Basic shape”, rated easy. We show 4 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 F♯11 shapes?

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

How is the F♯11 chord written?

The chord symbol is F♯11 (also written F#11), and its full name is F♯ eleventh.