Emadd11
Character: earthy
- ERtriad
- G♭3triad
- B5triad
- A11add
6 ways to play Emadd11
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 5 4 5 5Notes G B E AIntervals ♭3 5 1 11Base triadE minor, 1st inversion
The 11th gets a string of its own.
Frets 0 7 7 9 8 7Notes A E GIntervals 11 1 ♭3Base triadE minor, 2nd inversion
The 11th takes the 5th’s string.
Frets 0 10 9 9 10 0Notes G B E AIntervals ♭3 5 1 11Base triadE minor, 1st inversion
The 11th gets a string of its own.
Frets 3 2 2 2 0 0Notes G B E AIntervals ♭3 5 1 11Base triadE minor, 1st inversion
The 11th gets a string of its own.
Frets 12 x x 12 10 12Notes G A EIntervals ♭3 11 1Base triadE minor, 1st inversion
The 11th takes the 5th’s string.
Frets x x x 2 5 3Notes A E GIntervals 11 1 ♭3Base triadE minor, 2nd inversion
The 11th takes the 5th’s string.
The construction rules Emadd11 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.
Minor add 11 in every key
More chords on E
Emadd11 chord questions
What notes are in Emadd11?
Emadd11 is spelled E G B A: E is the root, G is the ♭3rd, B is the 5th, A is the 11th.
What is the formula of Emadd11?
1 ♭3 5 11. It is a E minor triad with the 11th stacked on top.
How many ways can you play Emadd11 on guitar?
This page shows 6 voicings of Emadd11, filed under the five CAGED shapes and named by inversion, from the open position up to the 16th fret.