Piano chord
B11B eleventh
- B1
- D♯3
- F♯5
- A♭7
- C♯9
- E11
- Notes
- 6
- Positions
- 4
- Span
- 17semitones
- Fingers
- 5 + 1-3-5
How to play B11 on piano
- Find B: it is the root and the lowest note of the chord in root position.
- Left hand: play B with the little finger (5), an octave below the right hand.
- Right hand: 1 on A, 3 on C♯, 5 on E.
- Leave out F♯, D♯: 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 · B – D♯ – F♯ – A – C♯ – E
1st inversion · D♯ – F♯ – A – C♯ – E – B
2nd inversion · F♯ – A – C♯ – E – B – D♯
3rd inversion · A – C♯ – E – B – D♯ – F♯
This chord has more notes than one hand holds comfortably; see the two-hand voicing below.
B11 inversions
Use these 4 positions to move between chords with as little hand movement as possible. Root position starts on B; the inversions start on the other notes of the chord.
- Root positionbass: BB – D♯ – F♯ – A – C♯ – E
- 1st inversionbass: D♯D♯ – F♯ – A – C♯ – E – B
- 2nd inversionbass: F♯F♯ – A – C♯ – E – B – D♯
- 3rd inversionbass: AA – C♯ – E – B – D♯ – F♯
B11 with two hands
A practical voicing: the left hand plays B, the right hand plays the colour notes A–C♯–E. Notes that can be left out are left out.
B11 on other instruments
On guitar and ukulele B11 is usually simplified; you will find it on the root pages.
About the B11 chord
To build B eleventh, take these 6 notes from the root up: B (1), D♯ (3), F♯ (5), A (♭7), C♯ (9), E (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.
The keys are B – D♯ – F♯ – A – C♯ – E, counted up from B; the distance from the lowest to the highest key is 17 semitones. Few hands reach that far, so share B11 between both hands, with B in the left.
In the inversions of B11 the root moves up and another note takes the bass. In the 1st inversion the bass is D♯ (D♯–F♯–A–C♯–E–B). In the 2nd inversion the bass is F♯ (F♯–A–C♯–E–B–D♯). In the 3rd inversion the bass is A (A–C♯–E–B–D♯–F♯).
Compared with B9, B11 has one more note, E.
Questions
What notes are in the B11 chord?
B11 (B eleventh) has 6 notes: B (1), D♯ (3), F♯ (5), A (♭7), C♯ (9), E (11).
How many inversions does B11 have?
B11 can be played in 4 positions: Root position (B–D♯–F♯–A–C♯–E); 1st inversion (D♯–F♯–A–C♯–E–B); 2nd inversion (F♯–A–C♯–E–B–D♯); 3rd inversion (A–C♯–E–B–D♯–F♯).
What is the difference between B11 and B9?
Compared with B9, B11 has one more note, E.
Can I play B11 with one hand?
In root position B11 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.