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A♭ Minor 11th

Reviewed for accuracy · Last updated June 2026 · Maintained by Justin Evans

G♯ Minor 11th
This is the same chord as G♯ Minor 11th — the same keys on the keyboard, spelled with sharps.
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A♭m11
A♭ – C♭ – E♭ – G♭ – B♭ – D♭
Formula:R-m3-P5-m7-M9-P11
Intervals:P1-m3-P5-m7-M9-P11
Scale Degrees:1-b3-5-b7-9-11

Practice A♭ Minor 11th

Reading about it is one thing. Drilling it is what makes it automatic.

Chord Drill →Timed drills — build speed and recognitionPractice Room →Plug in a MIDI keyboard for real-time feedback

Introduction

Ab Minor 11th piano chord, root position — Ab, B, Eb, Gb, Bb, Db
The Ab Minor 11th chord in root position on a piano keyboard, notes Ab, B, Eb, Gb, Bb, Db.

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

Notes

Notes:A♭ – C♭ – E♭ – G♭ – B♭ – D♭

Key Signature

A chord has no key signature of its own, but the A♭ Minor 11th is the tonic (i) chord of Ab Minor, which shares the signature of its relative major, Cb Major — 7 flats (B♭, E♭, A♭, D♭, G♭, C♭, F♭).

B♭E♭A♭D♭G♭C♭F♭

Order of flats

Flats are added in a fixed order — the reverse of the sharp order. Each new flat key adds the next flat on the list.

B♭E♭A♭D♭G♭C♭F♭

Mnemonic: Battle Ends And Down Goes Charles’ Father

Chords in the Key of A♭ Minor

These are the triads built on each degree of the A♭ minor scale:

C1C2C3C4BC5C6C7C8G#D#
i — A♭ Minor (minor)
DegreeNumeralChordQuality
1iA♭ MinorMinor
2ii°B♭ DiminishedDiminished
3IIIB MajorMajor
4ivD♭ MinorMinor
5vE♭ MinorMinor
6VIE MajorMajor
7VIIG♭ MajorMajor

Same Notes, Other Names

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

D♭ 13sus4→

Theory: Intervals

Formula: R-m3-P5-m7-M9-P11
Intervals: P1-m3-P5-m7-M9-P11

The A♭ Minor 11th is built by stacking intervals from the root note. The formula R-m3-P5-m7-M9-P11 describes the scale degrees used. The intervals P1-m3-P5-m7-M9-P11 show the distance between each note in the chord.

A♭ Minor 11th — Frequently Asked Questions

What is the A♭ Minor 11th chord on piano?
The A♭ Minor 11th chord contains the notes A♭ – C♭ – E♭ – G♭ – B♭ – D♭. On piano, play these notes together to sound the chord.
What notes are in the Ab Minor 11th chord?
Abm11 contains six notes: Ab, Cb, Eb, Gb, Bb, Db. Practical voicing: Ab–Cb–Gb–Bb–Db. No clash.
How does Abm11 differ from Ab11?
Abm11 has minor third (Cb). Ab11 has major third (C, usually omitted).
How is Abm11 used in music?
Abm11 is the ii in Gb Major. Jazz, neo-soul, R&B.
How does Abm11 differ from Abm9?
Adds the eleventh (Db) for warmth.
What songs use Minor 11th chords?
Neo-soul, modern jazz.
Do I need to play all six notes?
Drop the fifth: Ab–Cb–Gb–Bb–Db.

Practice Tips

  • No clash in minor 11ths.
  • Abm11 has a distinctive mostly-black-keys shape.
  • Practice Abm11 → Db13 → Gbmaj9.
  • Loop for dark, atmospheric groove.
  • Stacked fourths voicing.
  • Drop the fifth for practical voicing.

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

How this chord page is sourced & verified

The note names, intervals, fingering, and harmony on this page are drawn from the established body of Western music theory and verified against the conventions below — the same fundamentals taught in conservatories and music programs. We list categories of source material rather than individual titles, and reference the standards themselves rather than any single edition.

  • Standard music theory texts — Widely taught fundamentals of pitch, rhythm, and notation.
  • Western tonal harmony conventions — Established rules for chord construction, voice leading, and key relationships.
  • Interval and chord construction standards — The conventional spelling of intervals, triads, sevenths, and extensions.
  • Scale and mode theory — The common derivation of major, minor, pentatonic, blues, and modal scales.
  • Piano pedagogy and technique references — Long-standing practices for fingering, hand position, and practice.

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