E♯11 Chord: Guitar, Piano and Notes
The E♯11 chord is a dominant eleventh chord built on the root note E♯. Its notes are E♯, B♯, D♯, F𝄪 and A♯. It's enharmonically the same chord as F11.
Dominant eleventh chords sound wide and suspended. The eleventh sits a half step above the major third that would normally anchor the chord, a clash sharp enough that the third is left out entirely and the fifth, seventh, ninth and eleventh do the talking.
- Notes
- E♯ · B♯ · D♯ · F𝄪 · A♯
- Formula
- 1 · 5 · ♭7 · 9 · 11
- Semitones
- 0 · 7 · 10 · 14 · 17
- Note
- E♯
- Quality
- Dominant 11
- Symbol
- E♯11
E♯11 on piano
5 notes
Switch to the interactive diagram to hear the chord, change voicing and swap finger numbers for note names.
To play E♯11 on piano, place your right hand with your thumb on E♯, index finger on B♯, middle finger on D♯, ring finger on F𝄪 and little finger on A♯. Press the keys together and listen for an even sound. On the keyboard D♯ and A♯ are black keys and E♯, B♯ and F𝄪 are white, the keys you'd normally call F, C and G. Practice moving in and out of the chord slowly, then bring in a metronome.
- E♯1
- B♯5
- D♯♭7
- F𝄪9
- A♯11
E♯11 on guitar
Switch to the interactive diagram to hear the chord, change voicing and swap finger numbers for note names.
On guitar, E♯11 is commonly played with the voicing shown above. String 3 rings open.
E♯ · B♯ · D♯ · F𝄪 · A♯
Try E♯11 on the virtual piano
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E♯11 chord notes
Also known as F11
| Degree | Interval | Semitones | Note | Hear |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Root | 0 | E♯(E#) | |
| 5 | Perfect fifth | 7 | B♯(B#) | |
| ♭7 | Minor seventh | 10 | D♯(D#) | |
| 9 | Major ninth | 14 | F𝄪(F##) | |
| 11 | Perfect eleventh | 17 | A♯(A#) |
How to use the E♯11 chord
The E♯11 chord is built from a root, a perfect fifth, a minor seventh, a major ninth and a perfect eleventh. Start at the root E♯ and stack the intervals to get the whole chord: E♯, B♯, D♯, F𝄪 and A♯. The same formula gives you the chord in any other key.
Dominant eleventh chords show up in modal jazz and gospel as a suspended, unresolved colour, often standing in for a sus4 with extra shimmer on top. They work best in slow-moving vamps rather than fast cadences.
How E♯11 differs from similar chords
E♯11 stacks a ninth and an eleventh on E♯7, and the eleventh is the same note as the fourth. Because that fourth clashes with the major third, the third is left out, so the chord sounds close to E♯7sus4 with a ninth. It differs from E♯13, which keeps the third and adds the sixth an octave up.
Where E♯11 is used
No progression is shown for this spelling
Every key E♯11 would have a function in has a tonic that needs a double accidental, which is not a key this library teaches. The enharmonic spelling carries the same chord in a key that exists.
Questions people ask
- What notes are in the E♯11 chord?
- The E♯11 chord contains E♯, B♯, D♯, F𝄪 and A♯ (E#, B#, D#, F## and A# in plain text).
- Is the E♯11 chord major or minor?
- E♯11 is a dominant eleventh chord. Dominant eleventh chords sound wide and suspended. The eleventh sits a half step above the major third that would normally anchor the chord, a clash sharp enough that the third is left out entirely and the fifth, seventh, ninth and eleventh do the talking.
- How do you play E♯11 on piano?
- Place your fingers on E♯, B♯, D♯, F𝄪 and A♯ and play them together. The root usually goes to the little finger of the left hand, the upper notes to the right. On the keyboard D♯ and A♯ are black keys and E♯, B♯ and F𝄪 are white, the keys you'd normally call F, C and G.
- How do you play E♯11 on guitar?
- Use the fingering in the diagram above. String 3 rings open.
- What is another name for the E♯11 chord?
- E♯11 is enharmonically equivalent to F11. Both chord names describe exactly the same notes, but the spelling depends on the key you are playing in.