E11 Chord on Guitar
E11 = E – G# – B – D – F# – A (Root, Major 3rd, Perfect 5th, Minor 7th, Major 9th, Perfect 11th)
E11 keeps only the barre notes plus a single added finger on the G string, dropping the third and fifth from the theoretical full chord the same way every reduced guitar eleventh does. In open position, that sparseness turns into one of the most genuinely useful, frequently played shapes in soul and gospel-influenced rhythm guitar.
The full chord in theory spans E, G#, B, D, F#, and A, but the guitar-practical voicing keeps only E, D, and A — root, flat seventh, and eleventh — leaving out the third entirely. That absence gives E11 a suspended, ambiguous color, and as V11 of A major it resolves with the same underlying pull any dominant chord carries, just filtered through that open, non-committal sound.
Fingerings
Open Position
How to Practice It
Because only one extra finger is needed beyond the open strings, E11 is easy to strum percussively, and that ease is exactly why it's such a common rhythm-guitar tool — funk and gospel players often chuck this shape rhythmically rather than holding it out as a sustained chord. Try alternating it directly with a plain A-major chord to hear how convincingly the suspended color resolves once the third finally appears.
Common Progressions
- A – E11 – A (a suspended-dominant rhythmic vamp)
- E11 – A (V11 – I)
- E11 – D – A (V11 – IV – I)
- A – D – E11 – A (I – IV – V11 – I)
FAQ
- Why does E11 sound so different from E9 despite being related chords?
- E11 drops the third entirely, so it lacks the note that would tell a listener whether the chord is major or minor, giving it a much more open, suspended quality than E9, which keeps the third intact.
- Is E11 easy to play?
- Yes — with the whole shape in open position and only one extra finger needed beyond the open strings, it's one of the simplest extended chords on the entire guitar to finger cleanly.
- Why is E11 associated with funk and gospel guitar specifically?
- Its ambiguous, suspended color and easy, percussive playability make it a favorite for rhythmic chucking and vamping, techniques central to those styles, where the chord is used more as a rhythmic texture than a sustained harmonic statement.
- Does E11 ever get played with the third added back in?
- Some players do add the third for a fuller sound, effectively turning it into a nine-eleven hybrid voicing, though the classic, widely taught version deliberately omits it for that characteristic open quality.
- Where does E11 resolve?
- To A major, the same destination as E9 and plain E7, since all three share the same underlying dominant function despite their different color tones.
- How does E11 compare to D#11, which shares its shape family?
- The fingering pattern is identical, but E11 sits in comfortable open position while D#11 barres the same shape at the eleventh fret, making E11 considerably more accessible despite the two chords being harmonically parallel.
- Can E11 substitute for Asus4 in a pinch?
- The two chords share a similar suspended quality since neither includes a defining third, so in a purely textural sense a player reaching for an open, non-committal sound over an A-area progression might use either interchangeably.
Related: how chords are built, chord finder.