Cadd11
Character: folky
- CRtriad
- E3triad
- G5triad
- F11add
5 ways to play Cadd11
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 3 2 0 1 1Notes E G C FIntervals 3 5 1 11Base triadC major, 1st inversion
The 11th gets a string of its own.
Frets x 3 3 5 5 3Notes F C EIntervals 11 1 3Base triadC major, 2nd inversion
The 11th takes the 5th’s string.
Frets 8 7 5 5 6 0Notes E G C FIntervals 3 5 1 11Base triadC major, 1st inversion
The 11th gets a string of its own.
Frets 8 10 10 9 6 8Notes E F CIntervals 3 11 1Base triadC major, 1st inversion
The 11th takes the 5th’s string.
Frets 12 10 10 10 x xNotes E G C FIntervals 3 5 1 11Base triadC major, 1st inversion
The 11th gets a string of its own.
The construction rules Cadd11 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 C
Cadd11 chord questions
What notes are in Cadd11?
Cadd11 is spelled C E G F: C is the root, E is the 3rd, G is the 5th, F is the 11th.
What is the formula of Cadd11?
1 3 5 11. It is a C major triad with the 11th stacked on top.
How many ways can you play Cadd11 on guitar?
This page shows 5 voicings of Cadd11, filed under the five CAGED shapes and named by inversion, from the open position up to the 16th fret.