Piano chord
A♭11A flat eleventh
- A♭1
- C3
- E♭5
- G♭♭7
- B♭9
- D♭11
- Notes
- 6
- Positions
- 4
- Span
- 17semitones
- Fingers
- 5 + 1-3-5
How to play A♭11 on piano
- Find A♭: it is the root and the lowest note of the chord in root position.
- Left hand: play A♭ with the little finger (5), an octave below the right hand.
- Right hand: 1 on G♭, 3 on B♭, 5 on D♭.
- Leave out E♭, C: the chord is still recognisable without it, and the hand stays relaxed.
- Press the keys together, with curved fingers and a loose wrist, and let them ring.
Root position · A♭ – C – E♭ – G♭ – B♭ – D♭
1st inversion · C – E♭ – G♭ – B♭ – D♭ – A♭
2nd inversion · E♭ – G♭ – B♭ – D♭ – A♭ – C
3rd inversion · G♭ – B♭ – D♭ – A♭ – C – E♭
This chord has more notes than one hand holds comfortably; see the two-hand voicing below.
A♭11 inversions
A♭11 can be played in 4 positions. In root position A♭ is at the bottom; each inversion moves the lowest note up an octave, so another chord tone becomes the bass.
- Root positionbass: A♭A♭ – C – E♭ – G♭ – B♭ – D♭
- 1st inversionbass: CC – E♭ – G♭ – B♭ – D♭ – A♭
- 2nd inversionbass: E♭E♭ – G♭ – B♭ – D♭ – A♭ – C
- 3rd inversionbass: G♭G♭ – B♭ – D♭ – A♭ – C – E♭
A♭11 with two hands
A practical voicing: the left hand plays A♭, the right hand plays the colour notes G♭–B♭–D♭. Notes that can be left out are left out.
A♭11 on other instruments
On guitar and ukulele A♭11 is usually simplified; you will find it on the root pages.
About the A♭11 chord
A flat eleventh has 6 notes: A♭ (1), C (3), E♭ (5), G♭ (♭7), B♭ (9), D♭ (11). A dominant eleventh: a seventh chord with the ninth and eleventh. On piano the third is usually left out, because it clashes with the eleventh.
On the keyboard, start from A♭ and add the other notes above it: A♭ – C – E♭ – G♭ – B♭ – D♭. From the lowest to the highest key that is 17 semitones. It is too wide for one hand: play A♭ with the left hand and the rest with the right.
Each inversion of A♭11 puts a different note in the bass. In the 1st inversion the bass is C (C–E♭–G♭–B♭–D♭–A♭). In the 2nd inversion the bass is E♭ (E♭–G♭–B♭–D♭–A♭–C). In the 3rd inversion the bass is G♭ (G♭–B♭–D♭–A♭–C–E♭).
A♭11 is A♭9 with one note added: D♭.
Questions
What notes are in the A♭11 chord?
A♭11 (A flat eleventh) has 6 notes: A♭ (1), C (3), E♭ (5), G♭ (♭7), B♭ (9), D♭ (11).
How many inversions does A♭11 have?
A♭11 can be played in 4 positions: Root position (A♭–C–E♭–G♭–B♭–D♭); 1st inversion (C–E♭–G♭–B♭–D♭–A♭); 2nd inversion (E♭–G♭–B♭–D♭–A♭–C); 3rd inversion (G♭–B♭–D♭–A♭–C–E♭).
What is the difference between A♭11 and A♭9?
A♭11 is A♭9 with one note added: D♭.
Can I play A♭11 with one hand?
In root position A♭11 spans 17 semitones, more than an octave. Play the root with the left hand and the upper notes with the right, or leave out the fifth.