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C♯madd11

Character: earthy

  1. C♯Rtriad
  2. E♭3triad
  3. G♯5triad
  4. F♯11add
Open C♯madd11 in the chord libraryDownload the C♯madd11 chart (PDF)
Voicings

6 ways to play C♯madd11

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 C♯madd11/E
1 2 3 4 11 R 5 ♭3

Frets x x 2 1 2 2Notes E G♯ C♯ F♯Intervals ♭3 5 1 11Base triadC♯ minor, 1st inversion

The 11th gets a string of its own.

AA shape 2nd inversion C♯madd11/F♯
4 5 6 7 5 ♭3 R 11 5 R

Frets x 4 4 6 5 4Notes F♯ C♯ EIntervals 11 1 ♭3Base triadC♯ minor, 2nd inversion

The 11th takes the 5th’s string.

GG shape 1st inversion C♯madd11/E
6 7 8 9 11 R 5 ♭3 ♭3

Frets x 7 6 6 7 0Notes E G♯ C♯ F♯Intervals ♭3 5 1 11Base triadC♯ minor, 1st inversion

The 11th gets a string of its own.

EE shape 1st inversion C♯madd11/E
7 8 9 10 11 5 R 11 ♭3 R

Frets 9 x x 9 7 9Notes E F♯ C♯Intervals ♭3 11 1Base triadC♯ minor, 1st inversion

The 11th takes the 5th’s string.

EE shape Root position C♯madd11
7 8 9 10 11 5 11 ♭3 R ♭3 5 R

Frets 9 11 11 9 7 0Notes C♯ E F♯Intervals 1 ♭3 11Base triadC♯ minor, root position

The 11th takes the 5th’s string.

EE shape 1st inversion C♯madd11/E
9 10 11 12 11 R 5 ♭3

Frets 12 11 11 11 x xNotes E G♯ C♯ F♯Intervals ♭3 5 1 11Base triadC♯ minor, 1st inversion

The 11th gets a string of its own.

The rules

The construction rules C♯madd11 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 C♯

C♯madd11 chord questions

What notes are in C♯madd11?

C♯madd11 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 C♯madd11?

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

How many ways can you play C♯madd11 on guitar?

This page shows 6 voicings of C♯madd11, filed under the five CAGED shapes and named by inversion, from the open position up to the 16th fret.