B♭add11
Character: folky
- B♭Rtriad
- D3triad
- F5triad
- E♭11add
6 ways to play B♭add11
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
Frets x x 12 10 11 11Notes D F B♭ E♭Intervals 3 5 1 11Base triadB♭ major, 1st inversion
The 11th gets a string of its own.
Frets x 1 1 3 3 1Notes E♭ B♭ DIntervals 11 1 3Base triadB♭ major, 2nd inversion
The 11th takes the 5th’s string.
Frets 6 5 3 3 4 6Notes D F B♭ E♭Intervals 3 5 1 11Base triadB♭ major, 1st inversion
The 11th gets a string of its own.
Frets 6 8 8 7 4 6Notes D E♭ B♭Intervals 3 11 1Base triadB♭ major, 1st inversion
The 11th takes the 5th’s string.
Frets 10 8 8 8 11 10Notes D F B♭ E♭Intervals 3 5 1 11Base triadB♭ major, 1st inversion
The 11th gets a string of its own.
Frets x x x 8 11 10Notes E♭ B♭ DIntervals 11 1 3Base triadB♭ major, 2nd inversion
The 11th takes the 5th’s string.
The construction rules B♭add11 follows
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.
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.
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.
Add 11 in every key
More chords on B♭
B♭add11 chord questions
What notes are in B♭add11?
B♭add11 is spelled B♭ D F E♭: B♭ is the root, D is the 3rd, F is the 5th, E♭ is the 11th.
What is the formula of B♭add11?
1 3 5 11. It is a B♭ major triad with the 11th stacked on top.
How many ways can you play B♭add11 on guitar?
This page shows 6 voicings of B♭add11, filed under the five CAGED shapes and named by inversion, from the open position up to the 16th fret.