Bb Dominant Eleventh

Symbols:Bb11, Bb11th
Scale Degree Formula:1-3-5-♭7-9-11
Interval Stack:M3 + m3 + m3 + M3 + m3
Notes:Bb, D, F, G#, C, D#
Hear this chord:▸ Guitar

Construction

Using the scale degree formula, we first start with the Bb major scale, and number each note in the scale starting from 1 - these are the scale degrees. Next, we use the scale degree formula, in this case 1-3-5-♭7-9-11, to select notes from our enumerated scale. When a chord requires notes that are not in the scale, this is indicated with a flat (♭) or a sharp (#) along with the scale degree; a ♭3, for instance, would be one half-step down from the 3rd scale degree.
Alternatively, we can use the interval stack to construct our chord. With this approach, we first start with the lowest note of the chord (Bb), then move our first interval (M3), which brings us to our second note in the chord (D). We repeatedly apply each of the remaining intervals in the stack to get the full list of notes for our chord.
The diagram below shows how both the scale degree formula and interval stack methods result in the same selection of notes:
Bb1B♭2C2C#♭3D3D#4E♭5F5F##5G6G#♭7A7Bb8B♭9C9C#♭10D10D#11M3m3m3M3m3

Similar Chords

The following chords are similar to this chord and may be a suitable replacement in certain scenarios.

Chord TypeChords
Dominant 9thBb9
Dominant 9th Flat ThirteenthBb9b13
Dominant Eleventh Flat NineBb11b9
Dominant ThirteenthBb13
Major EleventhD#M11, BbM11
Major ThirteenthD#M13
Minor EleventhFm11, Cm11, Bbm11
Minor Eleventh Flat NineGm11b9, Fm11b9
Minor ThirteenthFm13
Six-NineG#6/9

Associated Scales

This chord can be found in the following scales.

ScaleRoots
DorianF
LocrianD
LydianG#
MajorD#
MinorC
MixolydianBb
PhrygianG

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