Chord · C Dominant 11th
C11 Chord
C11 is C, E, G, Bb, D and F — dense; usually voiced rootless.
C11 on every instrument
The same 6 notes, 2 sets of hands. Open a diagram for alternate shapes, audio and the mistakes to avoid.
What C11 is made of
C11 (C eleventh) is built from the notes C, E, G, Bb, D, F, with the interval pattern 1, 3, 5, b7, 9, 11.
Stack 1, 3, 5, b7, 9 and 11 on a root of C and you get C, E, G, Bb, D and F. 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 D11 sounds like a transposed C11.
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 C11
All 6 notes sit inside the scale of 2 keys. The roman numeral marks the degree the chord is rooted on.
Major keys
Minor keys
Other chords on C
Same root, different colour.
The same eleventh shape, moved
The identical interval recipe, built on other roots.
Questions people ask about C11
- What notes are in the C11 chord?
- C11 is made of C, E, G, Bb, D and F — the 1, 3, 5, b7, 9 and 11 degrees of an eleventh chord built on C.
- What keys use the C11 chord?
- Every note of C11 belongs to 2 keys: F Major (V), D Minor (VII). The roman numeral is the scale degree the chord is rooted on.
- How do you play C11 on guitar and piano?
- This page shows C11 on guitar and piano — 4 voicings in total. Each diagram links to the full instrument page with alternate shapes, audio and common mistakes.
Learn the theory behind it
Why C11 behaves the way it does — the guides that explain the chord instead of just spelling it.