F#maj11

F#maj11 is F#, A#, C#, E#, G# and B, a major eleventh. The shape this page opens on is written 223322, lowest string first.

Also written F#M11, F#Δ11 or F# major 11. The same chord either way; which spelling you meet depends on who wrote the chart.

There are 8 common shapes for F#maj11 on the guitar, and 53 derived voicings in 4 families.

In which keys. Every note of F#maj11 belongs to Eb minor (the ♭III) and F# major (the I).

The common shapes, written lowest string first: 223322, 223324, xx4466, x-9-8-10-7-7, x-9-8-10-0-9, x-9-9-10-11-9, 14-13-x-x-12-13, 14-14-15-15-14-14.

Shell. Root, third and seventh: the guide tones fix the quality, so the fifth is dropped. That is what leaves a string free, so pick a tension to put on top. F#maj11 has 2134xx, 2x330x, xx4367, x-9-x-10-11-7, x-9-8-10-12-x, 14-x-15-15-12-x.

Drop 2. A close-position chord with the second voice from the top lowered an octave. Sits on four adjacent strings. F#maj11 has xx3302, 2233xx, xx4466, x-9-9-10-11-x, 14-14-15-15-x-x, x2436x, x8847x, 6844xx.

Drop 3. The third voice from the top lowered an octave. The dropped voice becomes the bass, which is why a string is skipped. F#maj11 has x2x362, 2x330x, 6x446x, x8x476, 7-x-8-10-7-x, x-9-x-10-11-7, 13-x-9-11-11-x, x-13-x-11-12-13.

Rootless. The root left to the bass player. Frees a finger for a tension. F#maj11 has x1310x, x2332x, xx3304, xx6466, xx8667, x-11-9-10-11-x, x-x-9-10-11-9, x-14-15-15-14-x.

Tensions. A shell of F#maj11, root, third and seventh, leaves a string free, and the tones that belong over it are the 13 (D#).

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