Ab11

Ab11 is Ab, Eb, Gb, Bb and Db, a dominant eleventh. The shape this page opens on is written x31122, lowest string first.

Also written Ab9sus4 or Ab dominant 11. The same chord either way; which spelling you meet depends on who wrote the chart.

There are 5 common shapes for Ab11 on the guitar, and 55 derived voicings in 3 families.

In which keys. Every note of Ab11 belongs to C# major (the V), Eb minor (the iv), F# major (the ii), Ab minor (the i), Bb minor (the ♭VII) and B major (the vi).

The common shapes, written lowest string first: x31122, 444544, 666678, x-11-10-11-9-9, x-11-11-11-13-11.

Drop 2. A close-position chord with the second voice from the top lowered an octave. Sits on four adjacent strings. Ab11 has xx1122, xx4324, 4443xx, 4646xx, xx4644, xx6676, x6667x, x-x-11-11-9-11.

Drop 3. The third voice from the top lowered an octave. The dropped voice becomes the bass, which is why a string is skipped. Ab11 has x1x122, x4x142, 2x112x, 4x432x, x4x374, 4x464x, x6x674, 6x667x.

Rootless. The root left to the bass player. Frees a finger for a tension. Ab11 has xx1322, x4434x, xx4646, x6867x, xx8879, x-x-11-11-11-11, x-x-13-15-14-14, x4x342.

The common shapes and the derived voicings come from different places, and both are explained in where the chords and the theory come from.