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Chord · Reference entry

C 7♭9♯11

7♭9♯11 · C – E – G – B♭ – D♭ – F♯ · intervals P1-M3-P5-m7-m9-A11

The C 7♭9♯11 chord (C7♭9♯11) contains the notes C, E, G, B♭, D♭, and F♯. Its interval formula is R-M3-P5-m7-m9-A11. A dominant 7th with a flatted 9th and raised 11th — densely altered, used as a tritone sub in jazz.

At the keyboard

C · E · G · Bb · Db · F#
Flashcards · Chord
Three questions on C 7♭9♯11
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C7♭9♯11

The C 7♭9♯11 chord is a six-note chord made up of C, E, G, B♭, D♭, and F♯. It is built from a root, major third, perfect fifth, minor seventh, minor ninth, and augmented eleventh.

Construction

C 7♭9♯11 = Root + Major 3rd + Perfect 5th + Minor 7th + Minor 2nd + Diminished 5th = C · E · G · B♭ · D♭ · F♯
NoteIntervalDegree
CRoot1
EMajor 3rd3
GPerfect 5th5
B♭Minor 7th♭7
D♭Minor 2nd♭9
F♯Diminished 5th♭5

Key Signature

A chord has no key signature of its own, but the C 7♭9♯11 is the tonic (I) chord of C Major, whose key signature has no sharps or flats.

Chords in the Key of C Major

These are the triads built on each degree of the C major scale:

C1C2C3CEGC5C6C7C8
IC Major (major)
DegreeNumeralChordQuality
1IC MajorMajor
2iiD MinorMinor
3iiiE MinorMinor
4IVF MajorMajor
5VG MajorMajor
6viA MinorMinor
7vii°B DiminishedDiminished

Same Notes, Other Names

The notes C – E – G – B♭ – D♭ – F♯ aren’t exclusive to this chord. Depending on which note is the bass and how the chord functions, the same pitches also spell:

C 7♭9♯11 — Frequently Asked Questions

What is the C 7♭9♯11 chord on piano?
The C 7♭9♯11 chord contains the notes C – E – G – B♭ – D♭ – F♯. On piano, play these notes together to sound the chord.
What notes are in the C 7♭9♯11 chord?
The C 7♭9♯11 chord (C7♭9♯11) contains 6 notes: C, E, G, Bb, Db, F#. Formula: R-M3-P5-m7-m9-A11.
How is C7♭9♯11 used in music?
C7♭9♯11 is used in jazz, fusion, and contemporary music to add harmonic color. It appears as a dominant or tonic chord depending on context.
What is the scale degree formula for C7♭9♯11?
C7♭9♯11 uses scale degrees 1-3-5-b7-b9-#11, giving it its distinctive sound.

Related Tools

Chord FinderLook up any chord — see the notes, hear it, and play along.Chord DrillTimed drills to build speed and recognition across all chord types.Practice RoomPlug in a MIDI keyboard and get real-time feedback on every chord and scale.Circle of FifthsVisualize key relationships, relative minors, and key signatures.MIDI MonitorLive MIDI message stream with note names, velocity, and a scrolling staff.

References & Further Reading

The note names, intervals, fingering, and harmony on this chord page are grounded in the following sources. Public domain treatises and scores are linked to their full text; primary data is piano.org's own interval-derived reference dataset — continuously maintained and human-verified, with no fixed publication date.

  1. 1

    George Grove (ed.)(1900)

    A Dictionary of Music and Musicians

    Public domain treatise
  2. 2

    Jadassohn, Salomon(1883)

    A Manual of Harmony

    Public domain treatise
  3. 3

    Beethoven, Ludwig van(1799)

    Piano Sonata No. 8 in C minor, Op. 13 ("Pathétique")

    Public domain score
  4. 4

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