How to Play an A Minor 11th Chord on Guitar

The A minor eleventh chord produces a beautiful sonority. It is very common in jazz. If you would like to broaden your chordal vocabulary, here's how to construct and play an A minor 11th chord on the guitar.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Guitar

1. Barre the seventh fret of the guitar. A barre is a technique in which you lay your forefinger over the same fret across multiple strings. In this case, you will be making a 5/6 barre, which means you will cover the top five strings of the guitar. This will encompass the fifth (E), eleventh (D) and ninth (B) degrees of the A minor scale.

2. Using your pinky, hold down the tenth fret of the fourth string (D string). This is third degree of the A minor scale.

3. Place your middle finger on the eighth fret of the second string (B string). This is the seventh degree of the A minor scale.

4. Check your fingering. Double-check to make sure you have the correct notes held down and in place.

5. Strum the chord: Play all of the notes together in one sweeping motion. The sound that will be produced is the A minor 11th chord.

Tips & Warnings

• This is a movable chord shape, which means you can play the chord on any fret. The note on the fifth string will act as the root and determine the exact tonality of the chord (A minor 11th, A# minor 11th, B minor 11th, etc.).