Abmaj11

Abmaj11 is Ab, C, Eb, G, Bb and Db, a major eleventh. The shape this page opens on is written 43102x, lowest string first.

Note by note. Ab is the root, C is the major third, Eb is the fifth, G is the major seventh, Bb is the ninth and Db is the eleventh.

Also written AbM11, AbΔ11 or Ab major 11. The same chord either way; which spelling you meet depends on who wrote the chart.

There are 7 common shapes for Abmaj11 on the guitar, and 50 derived voicings in 4 families.

One note away. Change a single note of Abmaj11 and you have Abmaj9 (with one note taken away), Abmaj13 (with one note moved) or AbmMaj11 (with one note moved).

In which keys. Every note of Abmaj11 belongs to F minor (the ♭III) and Ab major (the I).

The common shapes, written lowest string first: 43102x, 43xx23, 445544, 445546, xx6688, x-11-10-12-9-9, x-11-11-12-13-11.

Under the hand. 1 of the 7 shapes here sits in open position, and the first uses 1 open string with 1 left unplayed. 3 of the 7 need a barre. Together they cover the neck from the 1st fret to the 13th.

Shell. Root, third and seventh: the guide tones fix the quality, so the fifth is dropped. That is what leaves a string free, so pick a tension to put on top. Abmaj11 has 4x552x, 4356xx, xx6589, x-11-x-12-13-9, x-11-10-12-14-x.

Drop 2. A close-position chord with the second voice from the top lowered an octave. Sits on four adjacent strings. Abmaj11 has 4455xx, xx6688, x-11-11-12-13-x, x3512x, xx5524, x4658x, x-10-10-6-9-x, 8-10-6-6-x-x.

Drop 3. The third voice from the top lowered an octave. The dropped voice becomes the bass, which is why a string is skipped. Abmaj11 has x3x123, 4x552x, x4x584, 8x668x, x-10-x-6-9-8, 9-x-10-12-9-x, x-11-x-12-13-9, 15-x-11-13-13-x.

Rootless. The root left to the bass player. Frees a finger for a tension. Abmaj11 has x3102x, x4554x, xx8688, x-x-10-8-8-9, x-13-11-12-13-x, x-x-11-12-13-11, xx1523, xx5526.

Tensions. A shell of Abmaj11, root, third and seventh, leaves a string free, and the tones that belong over it are the 13 (F).

What kind of chord this is. Abmaj11 is a major chord — root, major third, fifth. major chords on every root, and what they are for.

The common shapes and the derived voicings come from different places, and both are explained in where the chords and the theory come from.