How to play Gmaj7(add11)/D chord on guitar
Shape aaabca
Shape characteristics
Barre chord
Your first finger flattens across multiple strings at the same fret. Movable up and down the neck to any key without changing the shape.
Upper register · fret 10-12
Brighter, more focused tone with less low-end. Works well when layering over a bassist or second guitar, and integrates naturally with lead-line phrasing higher on the neck.
Full six-string voicing
All six strings ring, giving you the biggest, most resonant version of this chord, ideal for strumming and solo acoustic contexts.
Bass: D · Top: D
The 5th is in the bass, giving an open, unresolved feel that often precedes a strong resolution back to root position.
Compared to Shape a9a00a , this voicing uses an open chord and sits lower on the neck (starting at fret 9).
How to play this shape
- 1 Place the 1st finger on the 10th fret of the 1st string, 4th string, 5th string, and 6th string in barre position
- 2 Place the 2nd finger on the 11th fret of the 3rd string
- 3 Place the 3rd finger on the 12th fret of the 2nd string
Frequently Asked Questions
What does "aaabca" mean?
The sequence aaabca is a highly compact guitar chord notation. It represents the fret played on each of the 6 strings, reading left-to-right from the thickest (lowest pitch) string to the thinnest (highest pitch) string: E, A, D, G, B, e.
- x means the string is muted or skipped entirely.
- 0 means the string is played "open" (without pressing over a fret).
- 1-9 represent standard fret numbers 1 to 9.
- a, b, c... represent frets 10, 11, 12, and higher (where a=10, b=11, c=12).
Can I play this Gmaj7(add11)/D shape anywhere else?
Yes! This specific layout is just one way to voice a Gmaj7(add11)/D chord. You can find all other variations in our chord shape library for Gmaj7(add11)/D. Most guitarists choose different shapes based on whether they want a "brighter" or "deeper" sound, or which chord they are transitioning from.
Other shapes
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