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Amadd11

Character: earthy

  1. ARtriad
  2. C♭3triad
  3. E5triad
  4. D11add
Open Amadd11 in the chord libraryDownload the Amadd11 chart (PDF)
Voicings

7 ways to play Amadd11

Every voicing sits inside one of the five CAGED shapes, low to high on the neck, with its octave doublings in grey.

  • Triad note
  • Substitute
  • Added
  • Anchored root
  • Bass
  • Doubling
CC shape 1st inversion Amadd11/C
9 10 11 12 11 R 5 ♭3 R

Frets x 0 10 9 10 10Notes C E A DIntervals ♭3 5 1 11Base triadA minor, 1st inversion

The 11th gets a string of its own.

AA shape 2nd inversion Amadd11/D
1 2 3 4 5 ♭3 R 11 5 R

Frets x 0 0 2 1 0Notes D A CIntervals 11 1 ♭3Base triadA minor, 2nd inversion

The 11th takes the 5th’s string.

GG shape 1st inversion Amadd11/C
1 2 3 4 5 11 R 5 ♭3 5

Frets x 3 2 2 3 0Notes C E A DIntervals ♭3 5 1 11Base triadA minor, 1st inversion

The 11th gets a string of its own.

EE shape 1st inversion Amadd11/C
3 4 5 6 7 5 R 11 ♭3 R

Frets 5 x x 5 3 5Notes C D AIntervals ♭3 11 1Base triadA minor, 1st inversion

The 11th takes the 5th’s string.

EE shape Root position Amadd11
3 4 5 6 7 5 11 ♭3 R 5 R R

Frets 5 0 7 5 3 0Notes A C DIntervals 1 ♭3 11Base triadA minor, root position

The 11th takes the 5th’s string.

EE shape 1st inversion Amadd11/C
5 6 7 8 11 R 5 ♭3

Frets 8 7 7 7 x xNotes C E A DIntervals ♭3 5 1 11Base triadA minor, 1st inversion

The 11th gets a string of its own.

DD shape 2nd inversion Amadd11/D
7 8 9 10 5 ♭3 R 11 ♭3 R

Frets x 0 10 7 10 8Notes D A CIntervals 11 1 ♭3Base triadA minor, 2nd inversion

The 11th takes the 5th’s string.

The rules

The construction rules Amadd11 follows

  1. Start from a triad

    Root, 3rd and 5th, stacked in thirds. The 3rd makes it major or minor; the 5th makes it diminished or augmented when it moves.

  2. No 7th, no stack

    6, add9, add11 and 6/9 are a triad with a colour note, not a stack. Without a 7th the chord sounds open rather than jazzy.

  3. On guitar, something has to give

    Each extension takes the string of a triad note that matters less, usually the 5th, or gets a string of its own. The root and 3rd stay: they say what the chord is.

All the rules, with examples, in the guide to the chord library.

Minor add 11 in every key

More chords on A

Amadd11 chord questions

What notes are in Amadd11?

Amadd11 is spelled A C E D: A is the root, C is the ♭3rd, E is the 5th, D is the 11th.

What is the formula of Amadd11?

1 ♭3 5 11. It is a A minor triad with the 11th stacked on top.

How many ways can you play Amadd11 on guitar?

This page shows 7 voicings of Amadd11, filed under the five CAGED shapes and named by inversion, from the open position up to the 16th fret.