G11

G11 is G, D, F, A and C, a dominant eleventh. The shape this page opens on is written 320011, lowest string first.

Also written G9sus4 or G dominant 11. The same chord either way; which spelling you meet depends on who wrote the chart.

There are 6 common shapes for G11 on the guitar, and 60 derived voicings in 4 families.

In which keys. Every note of G11 belongs to C major (the V), D minor (the iv), F major (the ii), G minor (the i), A minor (the ♭VII) and Bb major (the vi).

The common shapes, written lowest string first: 320011, 333433, 555567, x-10-9-10-8-8, x-10-10-10-12-10, x-14-12-12-13-13.

Drop 2. A close-position chord with the second voice from the top lowered an octave. Sits on four adjacent strings. G11 has x0301x, xx3213, xx0011, 1300xx, 3332xx, 3535xx, x3303x, xx3533.

Drop 3. The third voice from the top lowered an octave. The dropped voice becomes the bass, which is why a string is skipped. G11 has x0x011, 3x321x, x3x031, 1x001x, x3x263, 3x353x, x5x563, 5x556x.

Rootless. The root left to the bass player. Frees a finger for a tension. G11 has xx0211, x3323x, xx3535, x5756x, xx7768, x-x-10-10-10-10, x-x-12-14-13-13, x-15-15-14-15-x.

Open string. An open string left ringing against a fretted grip. Because it costs no finger, it sounds a note the closed shape has none left for -- a tension on top, or a pedal root underneath. Either a familiar grip with open strings added, or a shape so sparse the open strings carry the chord. These belong to their key rather than to a shape, so D, A, G and E have many and Eb a handful. G11 has x03533, x0056x.

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