What notes are in the Bb11 chord?

Bb11 is made of Bb, D, F, Ab, C and Eb — the 1, 3, 5, b7, 9 and 11 degrees of an eleventh chord built on Bb.

What keys use the Bb11 chord?

Every note of Bb11 belongs to 2 keys: Eb Major (V), C Minor (VII). The roman numeral is the scale degree the chord is rooted on.

How do you play Bb11 on guitar and piano?

This page shows Bb11 on guitar and piano — 4 voicings in total. Each diagram links to the full instrument page with alternate shapes, audio and common mistakes.

Is Bb11 the same as A#11?

Yes. Bb11 and A#11 are enharmonic — identical pitches written two different ways. Which spelling you use depends on the key you are in; Bb11 is the spelling this site treats as canonical.

Chord · Bb Dominant 11th

B♭11 Chord

B♭11 is Bb, D, F, Ab, C and Eb — dense; usually voiced rootless.

Hear it

B♭11 on every instrument

The same 6 notes, 2 sets of hands. Open a diagram for alternate shapes, audio and the mistakes to avoid.

Guitar2 voicings

Piano2 voicings

What B♭11 is made of

Bb Dominant 11th (Bb dominant 11th) is built from the notes Bb, D, F, Ab, C, Eb, with the interval pattern 1, 3, 5, b7, 9, 11. A common dominant 11th chord across many styles.

Stack 1, 3, 5, b7, 9 and 11 on a root of B♭ and you get Bb, D, F, Ab, C and Eb. That interval recipe is what makes the chord an eleventh chord — move the same shape to another root and the character travels with it, which is why C11 sounds like a transposed B♭11.

Dominant 11th: Dense; usually voiced rootless.

Spelling: the notes above are written the way a score would write them, not simplified to the nearest piano key. That is why this chord is spelled with B♭ rather than its enharmonic equivalent.

Keys that contain B♭11

All 6 notes sit inside the scale of 2 keys. The roman numeral marks the degree the chord is rooted on.

Major keys

E♭ Majorrooted on the V

Minor keys

C Minorrooted on the VII

Other chords on B♭

Same root, different colour.

B♭Bb Major B♭mBb Minor B♭dimBb Diminished B♭augBb Augmented B♭sus2Bb Suspended 2nd B♭sus4Bb Suspended 4th B♭5Bb Power Chord B♭6Bb Major 6th

The same eleventh shape, moved

The identical interval recipe, built on other roots.

C11C Dominant 11th D11D Dominant 11th E11E Dominant 11th F11F Dominant 11th G11G Dominant 11th A11A Dominant 11th B11B Dominant 11th F♯11F# Dominant 11th

Questions people ask about Bb11

What notes are in the Bb11 chord?: Bb11 is made of Bb, D, F, Ab, C and Eb — the 1, 3, 5, b7, 9 and 11 degrees of an eleventh chord built on Bb.
What keys use the Bb11 chord?: Every note of Bb11 belongs to 2 keys: Eb Major (V), C Minor (VII). The roman numeral is the scale degree the chord is rooted on.
How do you play Bb11 on guitar and piano?: This page shows Bb11 on guitar and piano — 4 voicings in total. Each diagram links to the full instrument page with alternate shapes, audio and common mistakes.
Is Bb11 the same as A#11?: Yes. Bb11 and A#11 are enharmonic — identical pitches written two different ways. Which spelling you use depends on the key you are in; Bb11 is the spelling this site treats as canonical.

Learn the theory behind it

Why B♭11 behaves the way it does — the guides that explain the chord instead of just spelling it.

Barre Chords — The Wall Every Guitarist ClimbsThis one asks for a barre. The article is the fix for the buzzing and the aching hand.7 min read Functional Harmony: Three Roles, One EngineWhat a seventh chord is for — tension, resolution, and the seat it takes in the key.6 min read The 12-Bar Blues — Three Chords, A Century of HitsSeventh chords are the whole sound of the blues. Twelve bars is where to hear it.7 min read