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Guitar chords · Minor 11th

C♯m11 chord on guitar (C#m11)

C♯m11 (C♯ minor 11th) has six notes: C♯, E, G♯, B, D♯ and F♯, the , ♭3, 5, ♭7, 9 and 11.

Shapes

How to play C♯m11

Strum a shape to hear it, or pick it one string at a time. R marks the ; the other numbers are the chord tones.

C♯m11 has no common . Play it as the A shape at 4 or the E shape at fret 9. A keeps its fingering anywhere on the neck: slide it up or down and the , on the lowest played string, names the chord.

  • A shape · fret 4

    4fr×R11♭7♭35C♯F♯BEG♯
  • E shape · fret 9

    7fr××R♭7♭311C♯BEF♯
Name a shape you're holding: the chord finder

Notes and formula

What makes C♯m11 minor 11th

A minor 11th chord stacks the 9th and the 11th on a minor . On a minor chord the 11th does not clash, so it stays: keep the ♭3rd, the ♭7th and the 11th, and drop the 5th or the 9th. It has an open, floating sound heard in funk and fusion.

  • 1Root: the note the chord is named after. Keep it.
  • 3Essential: makes the chord what it is. Never drop it.
  • 5Optional: drop it first when you run out of fingers.

The ♭3rd, the ♭7th and the 11th make C♯m11 a minor 11th chord; you can leave out the 5th and the 9th.

  1. C♯Rroot
  2. E♭3essential
  3. G♯5optional
  4. B♭7essential
  5. D♯9optional
  6. F♯11essential
EADGBE0135791215C♯C♯C♯C♯C♯C♯C♯EF♯G♯BD♯EF♯BD♯EF♯G♯BD♯EF♯G♯BD♯EG♯BD♯EF♯G♯BD♯EF♯G♯BEF♯G♯BD♯EF♯
  • C♯, the root
  • Other chord tones

C♯m11 often leads to F♯7 and then B: the ii11–V7–I of B major.

C♯m11 and D♭m11 are the same chord with two names: same , same sound. Which one you see depends on the key the song is written in.

Keys

Keys with C♯m11

C♯m11 belongs to four keys: E major (vi11), B major (ii11), C♯ minor (i11) and G♯ minor (iv11).

Numerals follow the key's own scale, so III, VI and VII in a minor key are its own major chords. A ♭ or ♯ in front marks a chord from outside the key. How Roman numerals work

Slash chords

C♯m11 over another bass note

A keeps C♯m11 on top and puts another note in the bass: the letter after the slash is the lowest note you play.

  • C♯m11/E

    C♯m11 with its ♭3rd, E, in the bass.

  • C♯m11/G♯

    C♯m11 with its 5th, G♯, in the bass.

  • C♯m11/B

    C♯m11 with its ♭7th, B, in the bass.

Questions

C♯m11, in short

What notes are in the C♯m11 chord?
C♯m11 (C♯ minor 11th) has six notes: C♯, E, G♯, B, D♯ and F♯, the , ♭3, 5, ♭7, 9 and 11.
How do you play C♯m11 on guitar?
C♯m11 has no common . Play it as the A shape at 4 or the E shape at fret 9.
What key is C♯m11 in?
C♯m11 belongs to four keys: E major (vi11), B major (ii11), C♯ minor (i11) and G♯ minor (iv11).
Is C♯m11 the same as D♭m11?
Yes: same frets, same sound, different name. C♯m11 is the spelling in E major, B major, C♯ minor and G♯ minor; D♭m11 only in C♭ major and A♭ minor, which most players write as B major and G♯ minor.
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