C11b9 Dominant 7th

The C11b9 chord is built from the notes C – E – G – Bb – Db – F.

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Chord tones, one by one

CRoot

Root

The fundamental note the chord is built on — C.

EThird

Major third

Four semitones — makes the chord major (brighter, happier).

GFifth

Perfect fifth

Seven semitones — the most stable interval, reinforces the root.

BbSeventh

Minor seventh (♭7)

Ten semitones — the dominant/minor seventh. Adds bluesy tension (7, m7).

DbExtension

Flat ninth (♭9)

A ♭9 — sharp, dissonant tension typical of altered dominant chords.

FExtension

Eleventh (11)

An 11th — a suspended, airy color on top of the chord.

🎼 Related scales

Phrygian dominantharmonic minor a perfect 5th below

🎹 Modal analysis

This chord implies the Phrygian dominant scale; its characteristic note is the ♭9 / ♭2. It is a mode of the harmonic minor a perfect 5th below.

🎸 Genres

Flamenco · Middle-Eastern · Klezmer · Neoclassical metal

11b9 in every key

More C chords

More C chords from Phrygian dominant