Guitar Chord Help: F#m11

Cafe Society
1

Could someone please diagram an F#m11 chord? My Mel Bay reference book doesn’t show it. Here’s a blank diagram so you don’t have to make one:

o   o   o  o   o    o
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 |    |   |   |    |    |

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-----------
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-----------
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-----------

2

Is this it?

3

How about:

x 4 4 2 0 0

4

I would play it as (tablature): 244200. On your diagram, something like this:

[FONT=Courier New]
o o o o o o
============
| | | | | |
| | | | | |
| | | | | |
-----------
| | | | | |
X | | X | |
| | | | | |
-----------
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| | | | | |
| | | | | |
-----------
| | | | | |
| X X | | |
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-----------

Alternatively, google says it could be this:

(tablature): 2x2200. On your diagram, something like this:

[FONT=Courier New]
o x o o o o
============
| | | | | |
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| | | | | |
-----------
| | | | | |
X | X X | |
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-----------
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| | | | | |
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-----------
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-----------

  • Peter Wiggen
5

Right - outdrawn. That’s what I get for using the OP’s chord diagram!

Anyways, notice that the first version I posted is similar to Snoopy’s - except (probably) using the thumb to drop on the second fret on the first string.

My second version is similar to Mr. Blue Sky’s - except muting the second string.

The first one definately sounds fuller, but it’s kinda tough to play. The second one is easy. Depends on how it fits into your song, which one you choose.

Good luck, Peter Wiggen.

6

Incidentally, the place I got my information from is http://otnforums.snooboo.com/forum/showthread.php?t=2204

I would have posted it the first time around, except I was too caught up trying to answer the question first.

7

And in case you want to experiment with your own voicings, the notes defining an F#m11 chord are: (optional notes in parenthesis)

F# A (C#) E (G#) B

The root (F#) can be omitted if some other instrument is carrying the bass, or if the bass note is strongly implied.

8

Thanks, everybody! :cool:

9

I think everyone’s been leaving out the nice G# for the 9th:

244100

o   o   o  o   o    o
============
 |    |   |   |    |    |

| | | | | |
| | | X | |
-----------
| | | | | |
| | | | | |
X | | | | |
-----------
| | | | | |
| | | | | |
| | | | | |
-----------
| | | | | |
| | | | | |
| X X | | |
-----------

Of course, then you’re missing the 3rd, which is not such a good idea. Oh well.

10

In other words, you can play an A Major 9th, a C# minor 7th, or a plain old E Major fifth over someone else’s F# bass and you’d still be in the neighborhood.

Now all the purists will (and probably should) chime in and flame me. :smiley:

11

I typically play minor11th chords on the 5th string.

x   o   o  o   o    o
============
 |    |   |   |    |    |
 |    |   x   |    l   x
 |    |   |   |    |    |
-----------
 |    |   |   |    |    |

| | | | | |
| | | | | |
-----------
| | | | | |
| x | x x |
| | | | | |
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| | | | | |
| | | | | |
-----------

So the frets would be: x97997

There you have every note of the chord except the 5th, which doesn’t matter anyway, and you could do melodic stuff with your pinky too (e.g. pull it off and you get the tonic. Fret it on the 1st string to get the 5th.)

12

Yes.

Almost. You’re missing the defining minor 3rd in both these chords. Don’t get me wrong–it’ll work. It’s just that the major-minor tonality will just be harmonically ambiguous unless the melody line or context is filling in the blanks.

13

If you really want that 9th, you can do this:

202100 or 2x2100

However, that voicing sounds muddy. To my ears, 2x2200 and 244200 sound the best. The 9th isn’t necessary for the 11th chord. As long as you have the 7th and 3rd in there, you’re okay. As long as you have somebody holding the F# in the bass, you can get away with an A-B-E (a nice quintal) for the F#11.

14

F#m11