Arpeggio
A♯ 11
Dominant
- Formula
- 1 3 5 ♭7 9 11
- Notes
- A♯ C♯♯ E♯ G♯ B♯ D♯
Notation
Fretboard — frets 0–24
Degrees
| Degree | Note | Interval | Semitones | Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | A♯ | perfect unison | 0 | The root — the tonal centre every other note is heard against; land on it and the sound resolves. |
| 3 | C♯♯ | major third | 4 | The major third — the bright note that makes a quality major; it defines the chord's colour and pulls gently toward the root. |
| 5 | E♯ | perfect fifth | 7 | The perfect fifth — the root's strongest companion; it anchors every triad and stacked-seventh quality. |
| ♭7 | G♯ | minor seventh | 10 | The minor seventh — the dominant's engine; a whole step under the root, it turns a triad into a 7 chord and drives the resolution. |
| 9 | B♯ | major ninth | 14 | The major ninth — the second degree an octave up; it adds shimmer to maj9, 6/9 and the m9 family without changing the harmony. |
| 11 | D♯ | perfect eleventh | 17 | The perfect eleventh — the fourth an octave up; m11 and the dominant 11 keep it as a soft, open suspension. |
About this arpeggio
The dominant eleventh extends the dominant ninth with a perfect eleventh, the fourth degree an octave up. Against the major third the eleventh creates a strong suspended rub, so this quality is usually heard as a dominant with a built-in delay — it leans toward resolution but keeps hovering. In practice many voicings omit the third to let the fourth ring cleanly, which is why the chord can sound more like a sus chord than a dominant. Funk, fusion and modern jazz use it over long vamps. Listen for the fourth fighting the third: that friction is the quality's defining feature.
How to practise this arpeggio
- Play the eleventh against the major third and hear the friction.
- Drop the third and listen to the chord become suspended.
- Loop it over a fusion vamp and let the fourth hover.
- Compare it with the 9 chord and hear the extra openness.