Abmaj11: guitar chord voicings, inversions, scales and arpeggios
Abmaj11 (maj11) is an interactive GuitarArcanum page with chord formula, intervals, voicings, inversions, triads, pentatonic patterns, scales and arpeggios on the fretboard.
Chord formula
Interval formula: 1 3 5 7 9 11. A major chord with the 11th. A natural 11th clashes with the major 3rd, so in practice you either drop the 3rd or use a #11 instead.
Chord tones
The 11th over a major 3rd creates a harsh rub (a half-step against the 3rd). So the 3rd is dropped, or the 11th is raised to #11 — which gives a bright, Lydian sound.
Sound character
Full and bright via #11; muddy and awkward if a natural 11th sits over the 3rd.
Harmonic function
A tonic or subdominant color. It shows up mostly in its Lydian form (maj9#11).
Typical progressions
- Abmaj9#11 (Lydian tonic)
- Dbmaj7 – Abmaj9#11
- Abmaj11 with no 3rd
Guitar voicing advice
Don't play a natural 11th and 3rd together. It's more practical to play maj9#11: 3 and 7 close, with 9 and #11 on top.
Compatible scales for Abmaj11
Other chord qualities on the Ab root
Compare this chord with other qualities sharing the same root.
- Ab (Major)
- Abm (Minor)
- Abdim (Diminished)
- Abaug (Augmented)
- Absus4 (Sus4)
- Ab6 (Maj6)
- Abmaj7 (Major 7)
- Abmaj7b5 (Maj7b5)
- Abmaj7sus4 (Maj7sus4)
- Abmaj7#11 (Maj7#11)
- Abm6 (Min6)
- Abm7 (Minor 7)
- Abmmaj7 (MinMaj7)
- Ab7 (Dominant 7)
- Ab7b5 (Dom7b5)
- Ab7sus4 (Dom7sus4)
- Ab7#11 (Dom7#11)
- Abm7b5 (m7b5)
- Abdim7 (Dim7)
- Abdimmaj7 (DimMaj7)
- Abdimmaj7b13 (DimMaj7b13)
- Abaugmaj7 (AugMaj7)
- Abaug7 (Aug7)
- Ab9 (9)
- Abmaj9 (maj9)
- Abm9 (m9)
- Abadd9 (add9)
- Ab7b9 (7b9)
- Ab7#9 (7#9)
- Ab6/9 (6/9)
- Abm6/9 (m6/9)
- Abmmaj9 (m(maj9))
- Ab9sus4 (9sus4)
- Ab9b5 (9b5)
- Ab9#5 (9#5)
- Abmadd9 (madd9)
- Ab7b9#9 (7b9#9)
- Absus2 (sus2)
- Ab11 (11)
- Abm11 (m11)
- Ab13 (13)
- Abmaj13 (maj13)
- Abm13 (m13)
- Ab7b13 (7b13)
- Ab13#11 (13#11)
- Ab7alt (7alt)