Skip to content
piano.org
A piano reference: chords, scales, theory & ear training.
/

Chord · Reference entry

E♭ Minor 11th

Minor 11th · E♭ – G♭ – B♭ – D♭ – F – A♭ · intervals P1-m3-P5-m7-M9-P11

The E♭ Minor 11th chord (E♭m11) contains the notes E♭, G♭, B♭, D♭, F, and A♭. Its interval formula is R-m3-P5-m7-M9-P11. A minor 9th plus the 11th — rich and modern, common in jazz fusion and contemporary R&B.

D♯ Minor 11th
This is the same chord as D♯ Minor 11th — the same keys on the keyboard, spelled with sharps.

At the keyboard

Eb · Gb · Bb · Db · F · Ab
Flashcards · Chord
Three questions on E♭ Minor 11th
Answer on the keyboard, not with buttons. No login required.
E♭m11

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

Construction

E♭ Minor 11th = Root + Minor 3rd + Perfect 5th + Minor 7th + Major 2nd + Perfect 4th = E♭ · G♭ · B♭ · D♭ · F · A♭
NoteIntervalDegree
E♭Root1
G♭Minor 3rd♭3
B♭Perfect 5th5
D♭Minor 7th♭7
FMajor 2nd9
A♭Perfect 4th11

Key Signature

A chord has no key signature of its own, but the E♭ Minor 11th is the tonic (i) chord of Eb Minor, which shares the signature of its relative major, Gb Major6 flats (B♭, E♭, A♭, D♭, G♭, C♭).

B♭E♭A♭D♭G♭C♭

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.

BEADGCF

Mnemonic: Battle Ends And Down Goes Charles’ Father

Chords in the Key of E♭ Minor

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

C1C2C3C4C5C6C7C8D#F#A#
iE♭ Minor (minor)
DegreeNumeralChordQuality
1iE♭ MinorMinor
2ii°F DiminishedDiminished
3IIIG♭ MajorMajor
4ivA♭ MinorMinor
5vB♭ MinorMinor
6VIB MajorMajor
7VIID♭ MajorMajor

Same Notes, Other Names

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

E♭ Minor 11th — Frequently Asked Questions

What is the E♭ Minor 11th chord on piano?
The E♭ Minor 11th chord contains the notes E♭ – G♭ – B♭ – D♭ – F – A♭. On piano, play these notes together to sound the chord.
What notes are in the Eb Minor 11th chord?
Ebm11 contains six notes: Eb, Gb, Bb, Db, F, Ab. Practical voicing: Eb–Gb–Db–F–Ab. No internal clash.
How does Ebm11 differ from Eb11?
Ebm11 has minor third (Gb). Eb11 has major third (G, usually omitted).
How is Ebm11 used in music?
Ebm11 is the ii in Db Major. Common in R&B, neo-soul, and jazz.
How does Ebm11 differ from Ebm9?
Adds the eleventh (Ab) for warmth and fullness.
What songs use Minor 11th chords?
Neo-soul, modern jazz, lo-fi.
Do I need to play all six notes?
Drop the fifth: Eb–Gb–Db–F–Ab.

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

    Chopin, Frédéric(1839)

    Prelude in E♭ major, Op. 28 No. 19

    Public domain score
  4. 4

Spot something that looks off? Use the note form below — corrections are reviewed by hand.

Entry reviewed and maintained by Justin Evans. Corrections are read and applied.Report an error

Corrections

Found an error or omission in this entry? Send a correction — every submission is reviewed.

0 / 1000