E Augmented Fifth Sharp Eleventh added Guitar Chord Charts & Variations
E+(#11) is the symbol for the E augmented sharp eleven chord, which contains E, G#, B# and A# (root, major third, raised fifth and sharp eleventh).
E+(#11) adds the sharp eleventh to an augmented triad, so it has four notes and no seventh. Every note of E+(#11) sits inside the E whole-tone scale, so that scale is the natural place to look for melody notes. The B# here is a theoretical spelling: it keeps one letter name for each chord tone, although it sounds like an easier note. A few chord transition tips help when you connect this chord to its neighbours.
The augmented triad underneath is symmetrical, so its three notes divide the octave into three equal parts.
E augmented with sharp 11th guitar chord is also written as E+(#11), Eaug(#11), E+#11 or Eaug#11.
Notes in the E +(#11) chord:
Tones of the Augmented Fifth Sharp Eleventh added chord:
Formula: 1 3 #5 #11
FAQ
What notes are in E+(#11)?
E+(#11) is spelled E, G#, B# and A#. That is a root, a major third, a raised fifth and a sharp eleventh. The B# is a theoretical spelling of a note that sounds like C.
Why does E augmented sharp eleven contain B#?
The perfect fifth of E is B, and the sharp five raises it to B#. It sounds like C, but the letter B is kept so that the fifth is named correctly.
Which scale fits E+(#11)?
The E Whole-Tone Scale (E, F#, G#, A#, B#, D) contains all four chord notes. The chord uses the 1st, 3rd, 4th and 5th degrees of it.
How does E+(#11) differ from an E augmented triad?
The triad is E, G# and B#. E+(#11) adds A#, the sharp eleventh, six semitones from the root. That extra note is what gives it a tense colour.
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